CIHM 
Microfiche 
Series 
(l\/lonographs) 


ICIMH 

Collection  de 
microfiches 
(monographies) 


Canadian  Instituta  for  Historical  Microraproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  da  microraproductions  historiquas 


Ttchnical  and  Bibliographic  Notn  /  NolM  tMhniquas  at  bibliographiqua* 


Tha  Inttituta  has  attamptad  to  obtain  tha  bast  original 
copy  availabia  for  filming.  Faaturas  of  this  copy  which 
may  ba  biMiographicaHy  uniqua,  which  may  altar  any 
of  tha  imagas  in  tha  raproduction,  or  which  may 
significantly  changa  tha  usual  mathod  of  filming,  ara 
chacfcad  balow. 


L'Institut  a  microfilm*  la  maillaur  axamplaira  qu'il 
lui  a  M  possibia  da  sa  procurer.  Las  dMails  da  cat 
axamplaira  qui  sont  paut-4tra  uniquas  du  point  da  vua 
bibiiographiqua,  qui  pauvant  modif  iar  una  imaga 
raproduita.  ou  qui  pauvant  axigar  una  modification 
dans  la  mithoda  normala  da  f  ilmaga  sont  indiqu4s 
ci-dassous. 


E 


Colourad  covars/ 
Couvartura  da  coulaur 


y,  Covars  damagad/ 
^  I  Couvartura  andommagie 


□  Covars  rastorad  and/or  iaminatad/ 
Couvartura  rastauria  at/ou  palliculte 


n 


Covar  titia  missing/ 

La  titra  da  couvartura  manqua 

□  Colourad  maps/ 
Cartas  gtographiquas  an  coulaur 

□  Colourad  ink  (i.e.  othar  than  blua  or  Mack)/ 
Encra  da  coulaur  (i.a.  autra  qua  Maua  ou  noira) 

□  Colourad  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 


D 
D 

n 


Bound  with  other  material/ 
Relle  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  bindin    .nay  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  reliure  serrie  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distorsion  le  long  de  la  marge  interieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may  appear 
within  tha  text.  Whenever  possible,  these  have 
been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  aiouties 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais.  lorsque  cela  etait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  etc  f  ilmies. 


□  Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 

0  Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  andommagtes 

□  Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaurias  at/ou  pallieultas 


0 


Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  dacolorias,  tachaties  ou  piquees 


□  Pages  detached/ 
Pages  ditachtes 

0Showthrough/ 
Transparence 


n 


Quality  of  print  varies/ 
Qualite  in^le  de  I'impression 

Continuous  pagination/ 
Pagination  continue 

Includes  Index(es)/ 
Comprend  un  (des)  Index 


Title  on  header  taken  from:/ 
Le  titre  de  I'en-tCte  provient: 


□  Title  page  of  issue/ 
Page  de  titre  de  la  livraison 


n 


Caption  of  issue/ 

Titre  de  depart  de  la  livraison 

Masthead/ 

Generique  (periodiques)  de  la  livraison 


0  Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  supplementaires: 


There  are  some  creases  in  the  middle  of  the  pages. 


This  Item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  doGume>it  est  filme  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqui  ci-dessous. 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

26  X 

XX 

, 

V 

12X 


16X 


20X 


24  X 


28X 


32  X 


Th«  copy  filmad  h«r«  Hm  b««n  raproduead  thanks 
to  tho  gonorosity  of: 

Knox  College,  Toronto 
Caven  Library 

Tho  imago*  appoaring  hara  ara  tha  baat  quality 
possiblo  eonsidoring  tho  condition  and  lagibiiity 
of  tha  original  copy  and  in  kaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  apoeif icationa. 


L'axamplaira  filmi  fut  raproduit  grieo  k  la 
gAn^roaiti  da: 

Knox  College,  Toronto 
Caven  Library 

Laa  imagaa  suivantas  ont  *ti  raproduitas  avoc  ia 
plus  grand  soin,  eompta  tanu  da  la  condition  at 
da  la  nattat*  da  raxamplaira  fiimS,  at  an 
conformity  avac  laa  conditions  du  contrst  da 
filmaga. 


Original  capias  in  printad  papar  covers  ara  fllmad 
baginning  with  tha  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  «vlth  a  printad  or  illuatrated  impraa- 
sion.  or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  tho 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impreo- 
aion.  and  ending  on  rhe  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illuatrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  tha  symbol  -^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  ▼  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 

Maps,  plates,  charts,  stc  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hend  comer,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bonom,  as  msny  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Lee  exemplalres  originoux  dont  la  couverturo  an 
papier  eot  imprimie  sent  filmOs  en  commencsnt 
par  la  premier  plat  at  9n  terminant  soit  par  la 
darniire  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  la  second 
plat,  salon  la  cas.  Tous  les  autras  axemplairas 
originoux  sent  filmis  tn  commenqant  par  la 
premiere  poge  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  torminant  par 
la  damiAre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  spparattra  sur  la 
darniiro  image  do  cheque  microfiche,  seion  le 
cas:  le  symbolo  — *-  signifie  "A  8UIVRE".  le 
symbole  ▼  signifie  "FIN  '. 

Les  cartas,  planches,  tableaux,  etc..  peuvent  *tre 
filmte  A  des  taux  da  reduction  diffSrants. 
Lorsqua  la  document  est  trop  grand  pour  *tra 
reproduit  en  un  soul  clich*.  il  est  film*  *  psrtir 
da  I'angle  supArieur  gauche,  do  gauche  i  droite. 
et  do  haut  en  bas,  an  prenant  la  nombra 
d'images  nteessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivsnts 
illustrant  la  m«thode. 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

1.0 


I.I 


b&  128      12.5 


Itt 


|3^ 

13.6 


1.4 


1^   11^ 

1.8 
1.6 


MICROCOPY  RESOLUTION  TEST  CHART 

NATIONAL  BUREAU  OF  STANDARDS 

STANDARD  REFERENCE  MATERIAL  1010a 

(ANSI  and  ISO  TEST  CHART  No.  2) 


Hath  God  ca^t  away 

'   ffiS  4^E0PLE? 


BY 


C     GAEBELEIN 


54  WEST  Twenty-Second  Street,  New  York  City. 


UPPER    CANADA   TRACT   SOCIETY, 
I02  Yon  -  Street,  Toronto,  Canada. 

1905. 

CAVf N  UiilAffY 

KNOX  COLLEGE 

rOllONTO 


7  628*?. 


CONTENTS. 


Thb  Elbvbnth  Cbaptbr  of  Romans:  paob. 

Chapter    i.--The  Question 7 

ii. — "  For  I  also  am  an  Israelite  " 15 

iii. — The  Remnant — Israel's  Apostasy  Not  Complete.     30 
iv. — Israel's  Apostasy  and  Blindness  Not  Permanent.     30 

V.—"  To  Provoke  Them  to  Jealousy  " 36 

vi. — Tbeii  Reception — Life  from  the  Dead 43 

vii.— The  Parable  of  the  Olive  Tree 53 

viii. — A  Mystery  Made  Known 63 

Conclusion 80 

ISRABi.  IN  THB  Psalms 85 

From  Suffering  to  Glory 93 

A  Great  Prophetic  Psalm 98 

Scenes  of  Desolation  and  App  "'tis  for  the  Son  of  Man los 

The  Dawning  of  the  Millennium 106 

.Thb  Prophbcies  of  Balaam 107 

Isaiah  xi  and  xii 139 

What  Orthodox  Jmws  Bblibvb  on  Things  to  Comb 153 

Zionism,  thb  Grbat  Jewish  National  Movbmbnt 179 

jBwiSH  Statistics 305 

Thb  Jbwish  Population  of  Palbstine 313 

Thb  Northern  Power 339 

The  Messianic  Question 343 

Three  Weeks  with  Joseph  Rabinowitz 371 


^^^^^j^^FK*^^?^^^^^^^^^^^ 


The  Eleventh  Chapter  of  Romans. 


CHAPTER  I. 


THB     QUESTION. 

^T^HE  eleventh  chapter  in  the  wonderful  Epistle  to  the  Ro- 
mans  is  perhaps  the  least  studied  of  all  in  this  Epistle 
of  our  salvation  in  Christ.  It  contains  not  alone  deeply  inter- 
esting truths,  but  it  is  of  very  great  importance  and  puts  be- 
fore us  most  solemn  facts.  In  it  the  Holy  Spirit  unfolds  the 
purposes  of  God  concerning  the  earthly  people  He  has  chosen 
for  Himself.  The  knowledge  of  Israel's  place  and  position  uraei's  place, 
in  God's  revealed  plan  is  of  incalculable  importance.  All 
the  confusion  in  doctrine  and  practice  we  see  about  us,  is 
more  or  less  the  result  of  a  deplorable  ignorance  which  exists 
throughout  Christendom  about  Israel's  place  and  future. 
The  carnalizing  of  the  professing  church  has  been  the  sad 
fruit  of  this  ignorance.  All  Christendom  attends  to  Israel's 
earthly  calling,  and  not  only  fails  in  it  most  miserably,  but 
also  dishonors  God  and  His  Word. 

If  it  were  possible  to  straighten  out  the  confusion  existing 
about  us  in  the  professing  church,  the  proper  starting  point 
would  be,  no  doubt,  to  teach  God's  purposes  concerning  Is- 
rael. However,  this  is  impossible.  The  apostasy  of  Christ- 
endom is  beyond  recovery;  the  individual  may  still  see  and 
learn  the  truth. 

7 


8 


Where  In  Ro- 
nuuu? 


Three  parts. 


Dispell  iational 
truths. 


Let  US  first  consider  in  what  part  of  Romans  we  find  the 
chapter  we  are  about  to  study. 

Romans  is  divided  into  three  great  parts.  The  first  sec- 
tion extends  from  chapter  i-viii;  the  second  contains  chap- 
ters ix,  X  and  xi ;  the  last  is  from  chapter  xii-xvi.  Over  the 
first  part  we  put  the  word  "Salvation,"  over  the  second 
"Dispensation,"  and  over  the  third  "Exhortation." 

This  is  how  God  makes  His  truth  known.  First  He  tells 
us  what  He  has  done  for  us  in  His  Son,  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ ;  how  rich  and  full  His  Grace  is  toward  all  who  be- 
lieve, Jew  and  Gentile.  Iii  the  next  place  He  acquaints  us 
with  dispensation ;  that  is,  how  He,  the  Sovereign,  dispenses, 
how  He  deals  with  Jew  and  Gentile.  In  dispensational 
truths  He  takes  His  child,  so  to  speak,  into  confidence,  be- 
cause He  has  made  him  a  son  and  an  heir,  and  He  intro- 
duces him  into  the  knowledge  of  His  ways  in  government. 
Having  shown  us  what  He  has  done  for  us  and  what  He  has 
made  us,  as  well  as  acquainted  us  with  His  plans,  He  speaks 
to  us  once  more,  showing  what  manner  of  men  we  should 
be;  that  is  exhortation.  Reverse  this  order,  salvation,  dis- 
pensation and  exhortation,  or  leave  one  out,  and  there  will 
be  failure  and  confusion. 

Our  chapter  then  stands  in  the  second,  the  dispensational 
part,  that  great  parenthesis,  in  which  the  Holy  Spirit  traces 
God's  righteous  and  merciful  ways.  At  the  end  of  the  sal- 
vation part  of  this  Epistle  we  find  a  chapter  of  summing  up, 
the  eighth.  The  second  part  has  likewise  such  a  climax,  the 
chapter  which  is  before  us.  It  brings  in  not  only  the  Jews, 
but  the  Gentiles,  and  in  a  measure  the  church  of  God.    From 


this  chapter  we  can  reach  back  over  the  entire  history  of 
Israel.    From  here  we  can  learn  their  present  condition  and, 
above  all,  we  can  study  their  future  and  learn  what  God 
will  do  yet  in  fulfillment  of  His  oathbound  covenants. 
There  is,  however,  a  special  reason  why  the  Holy  Spirit  ^  "peciai  reaMn 

•^  ■'       '^  for  Romani  Ix, 

in  Romans  introduces  the  three  chapters,  which  form  the     *'*'• 
second  part. 

This  is  the  following.  In  the  first  part,  chapters  i  to  viii, 
the  Spirit  of  God  shows  that  Jews  and  Gentiles  have  no 
righteousness  and  are  lost,  that  there  is  not  one  that  doeth 
good,  no,  not  one.  Then  God  reveals  His  righteousness  and 
His  salvation  for  Jew  and  Gentile,  which  is  by  faith.  An 
old  saint  was  asked  what  the  three  great  lessons  are  which  he 
had  learned  in  his  Christian  experience,  and  he  said  :-"First, 
I  learned  that  I  have  never  done  anything  good  in  my  life ; 
secondly,  that  I  could  never  do  anything  good ;  and,  thirdly, 
that  Christ  has  done  it  all."  This  is  precisely  what  is  taught 
in  the  first  part  of  Romans. 

Now  after  the  guilt  and  lost  condition  of  the  Jew  and  Gen- 
tile are  fully  demonstrated,  the  Jew  is  left  out  of  sight.  In 
this  dispensation  of  Grace  God  deals  alike  with  the  believing 
Jew  and  Gentile ;  there  is  no  difference.  The  believing  Jew 
and  Gentile  are  under  Grace,  linked  with  the  Second  Man,  in 
possession  of  a  place  in  the  Heavenlies  and  no  longer  on  the 
earth,  a  Son  and  an  Heir,  like  the  Firstbegotten  from  the 
dead. 

But  now  comes  an  objection  from  the  side  of  the  Jew. 
You  remember  questions  are  frequently  asked  in  Romans. 
The  Jew  now  has  a  question,  after  he  has  heard  all  about 


All  under  Orace. 


An  objection. 


lO 


The  natioDKl 
promises. 


A  simple  chap 
ter. 


this  salvation  by  Grace  for  bln^,  and  for  the  Gentile,  as  well 
as  the  results  of  this  salvation. 

This  is  the  question:  "What  becomes  of  our  national 
promise*  and  blessings  ?  God  has  promised  us  so  much  as  a 
nation,  and  these  promises  are  not  kept  yet;  will  He  not 
fulfill  them?"  In  other  words,  "Does  God's  dealing  in  Grace 
with  the  Gentiles  mean  that  He  is  through  with  us  as  a  na- 
tion, that  our  people  are  now  completely  and  finally  rejected 
and  these  many  promises  contained  in  the  oracles  of  God 
shall  never  find  fulfillment?" 

This  question  is  answered  in  the  second  part  of  Romans. 
In  it  the  Holy  Spirit  shows  how  righteously  and  mercifully 
God  deals  with  the  Jews  and  Gentiles,  and  the  end  of  the 
section,  our  chapter,  shows  most  blessedly  that  God  has  not 
cast  away  His  people  and  that  a  time  of  their  fullness  and 
reception  is  coming  and  all  Israel  shall  be  saved. 

The  chapter  in  its  construction  is  very  simple.  In  the 
preceding  one  we  read :  "But  Esaias  is  very  bold,  and  saith, 
I  was  found  of  them  that  sought  me  not ;  I  was  manifested 
unto  them  that  asked  not  after  me.  But  to  Israel  he  saith, 
All  day  long  I  have  stretched  forth  my  hands  unto  a  dis- 
obedient and  gainsaying  people."  The  quotation  is  from 
Isaiah  lxv:i,  2,  and  in  it  the  call  of  the  Gentiles  is  plainly 
foretold  as  well  as  God's  attitude  towards  His  own  people 
Israel.  Now  if  God  is  found  of  them  (the  Gentiles)  and 
manifested  unto  them  that  asked  not  after  Him,  and  if  His 
own  people  have  no  answer  to  His  hands  stretched  forth 
towards  them,  would  one  not  be  justified  to  say  He  hr  cast 
away  His  people?    The  eleventh  chapter  therefore  asks  this 


I 


II 


Seven  ans.t-en. 


very  question:  "Hath  God  cast  away?"  This  question  is 
t\\e  great  superscription  of  this  chaptc*  Tho  fact  that  GoH 
has  not  cast  away  His  people  is  de-.^onstrated  throughou 
the  chapter  and  up  to  the  27th  verse  the  Holy  Spirit  gives 
seven  answers  and  proofs  to  this  question  that  His  people 
are  not  finally  nor  completely  cast  away.  After  this  fact 
is  demonstrated  comes  that  great  and  sublime  ending  (verses 
28-36)  corresponding  to  the  ending  of  the  doctrinal  part  of 
the  Epistle  in  the  eighth  chapter.  We  shall  follow  in  our 
exposition  these  seven  answe 's  and  proofs. 

These  are  the  following: 

I.     The  conversion  of  Saul  of  Tarsus  (verse  i). 

n.  There  is  a  remnant  according  to  the  election  of 
Grace,  hence  Israel  is  not  completely  cast  away  (verses  2-6). 

in.  The  blindness  of  Israel  i~  partial  and  judicial.  It 
is  never  complete  nor  final.  The  Scriptures  prove  this  fact 
(verses  7-10). 

IV.  Salvation  has  come  (.0  the  Gentiles  by  their  fall  and 
by  it  God  wishes  to  provoke  them  to  jealousy  (verse  11). 

V.  There  is  a  promised  fullness  and  receiving  of  Israel 
which  according  f  the  prophetic  Word  will  mean  greater 
riches  for  the  worid,  even  life  from  the  dead  (verses  11-15). 

VI.  The  parable  of  the  olive  tree  (verses  16-24). 

VII.  The  mystery  made  l-nown  (verses  25-27). 

We  look  ? '  the  question  first  and  its  answe*-.    The  answer 
is  correctly  translated  "Far  be  the  thought."    "God  has  not  ^arbe^the 
cast  away  His  people  whom  '  e  foreknew."  The  question  of 


1  ^ 


•il 


iH 


12 

the  casting  away  of  Israel*  is  of  course  a  national  question 
and  not  the  question  of  the  individual.  God  had  foreknown 
His  people  and  called  them  to  a  distinctive  and  peculiar 
place  in  the  earth  and  for  the  government  of  the  earth.  The 
nation  is  called  to  be  a  peculiar  treasure  unto  the  Lord  above 
all  people,  a  kingdom  of  priests  and  a  holy  nation,  a  people 
prepared  to  show  forth  His  praises.  God's  gifts  and  calling 
are  without  repentance.  Throughout  the  Word  He  declares 
that  Israel  should  never  cease  to  be  a  nation  before  Him 
and  that  they  shall  be  at  last  that  in  the  earth,  as  a  nation, 
for  which  He  called  them.  "Thus  saith  the  Lord,  which 
giveth  the  sun  for  a  light  by  day,  and  the  ordinances  of  the 
moon  and  of  the  stars  for  a  light  by  night,  which  divideth 
the  sea  when  the  waves  thereof  roar;  the  Lord  of  hosts  is 
His  name;  if  those  ordinances  depart  from  me,  saith  the 
Lord,  then  the  seed  of  Israel  also  shall  cease  from  being 
a  nation  before  me  forever.  Thus  saith  the  Lord :  If  heaven 
above  can  be  measured,  and  the  foundations  of  the  earth 
searched  out  beneath,  I  will  also  cast  off  all  the  seed  of 

^*^'***"*''  Israel  for  all  that  they  have  done,  saith  the  Lord"  (Jere- 
miah xxxi:35-37).  "For  I  am  with  thee,  saith  the  Lord, 
to  save  thee ;  though  I  make  a  full  end  of  all  nations  whither 
I  have  scattered  thee,  yet  will  I  not  make  a  full  end  of  thee, 
but  I  will  correct  thee  in  measure  and  will  not  leave  thee  al- 

Jeremiahxxx:!!.  together  Unpunished"   (Jerem.  xxx:ii).     Numerous  other 


Iirael't  perma- 
nent position. 


♦We  take  it  for  granted  that  all  our  readers  believe  that  Israel, 
God's  ancient  people,  the  r  ral  seed  of  Abraham,  is  meant.  How 
any  one  can  speak  in  this  uaptcr  of  a  spiritual  Israel  and  that  the 
Church  is  meant  is  beyond  our  conception. 


I 


13 


Rejection  of 
Christ  and 
dlspenilon. 


passages  could  be  quoted  in  which  God  assures  His  people 
that  He  will  never  abandon  ch;m  forever.    Their  past  his- 
tory proves  this.     Again  and  again  God's  firstborn   Son, 
Israel,  (Ex.  iv:22)  had  been  disobedient,  a  stifFnecked  peo-  Kxod.w:«2 
pie.    They  were  punished  and  led  into  captivity,  their  city 
plundered  and   razed,  their  temple  burned  and  land  laid 
waste,  and  still  God's  infinite  mercy  hovers  over  the  people 
and  the  land  and  He  never  saith  that  He  hath  cas^  them 
away.     Then  a  part  of  the  nation,  the  Jews,  h..d  rejected 
their  Messiah  and  King,  who  had  come  to  His  own;  they 
had  cried  their  awful  "Away  with  Him !"    "Crucify  Him !" 
"His  blood  be  upon  us  and  upon  our  children !"    Yet  from 
that  cross  there  came  that  wonderful  prayer,  "Father,  for- 
give them  for  they  know  not  what  they  do."     Again  the 
offers  of  Grace  are  spurned  by  the  nation,  and  those  of  the 
nation  who  had  believed  were  bitterly  persecuted  and  some 
murdered  by  their  unbelieving  brethren,  and  yet  o-er  all 
the  Spirit  of  God  hath  put  the  assuring  statement,  "God 
hath  not  cast  away  His  people  whom  He  fortk'^-  'W."    The 
temple  was  laid  in  ruins  once  more,  the  natic-.  peeled  and 
scattered  into  the  comers  of  the  earth.    Their  saddest  dis- 
persion began  and  with  it  trials  and  sufferings  such  as  their 
previous  history  had  not  known,  and  still  over  this  great  dis- 
persion and  all  their  terrible  experiences  the  Spirit  of  God 
has  placed  these  words :    "God  hath  not  cast  away  His  peo- 
ple whom  He  foreknew." 

What  a  different  answer  Christendom  has  to  this  ques- 
tion. H  the  Jew  asks  of  Christendom  the  question  about 
his  national  future,  the  promises  of  blessing  and  glory,  he 


»4 


Bow  Obrlsten- 
dom  anawer*. 


Anaurance  of  sal 
vation. 


receives  a  strange  answer.     Or  if  he  turns  to  the  great 
commentators  on  the  Bible  he  finds  teachings  altogether 
opposite  to  the  plain  national  promises,  which  belong  still 
to  his  people.    He  is  told  that  God  hath  cast  them  away 
and  that  there  is  nothing  left  for  an  earthly  people.     He 
hears  that  the  church  is  Israel  and  all  the  promises  given  to 
the  original  Israel  find  now  a  spiritual  fulfillment  in  the 
church.     But  the  mtelligeat,  orthodox  Hebrew  refuses  to 
accept  this  spiritualizing  mode  of  interpretation  nor  does  he 
find  anywhere  throughout  Christendom  th  t  his  national 
promises  and  national  glories  are  now  fulfilled  in  a  spiritual 
way  in  the  church.    If  all  this  wrong  and  confusing  interpre- 
tation of  the  Word  of  God,  which  does  not  distinguish  be- 
tween Israel  and  the  church,  were  true,  and  if  it  were  true 
that  God  hath  cast  away  totally  and  finally  Israel,  then  we 
certainly  would  have  to  give  up  the  belief  in  a  verbally  in- 
spired Bible.    It  would  be  true  what  higher  criticism  is  con- 
stantly claiming,  that  the  Jewish  prophets  were  patriots  and 
dreamers  and  not  inspired  by  God.     Furthermore,  God's 
gifts  and  calling  would  be  not  without  repentance;  God 
v'ould  have  gone  back  upon  His  own  word,  and  in  conse- 
quence of  this  we  as  sinners  of  the  Gentiles  would  have  no 
assurance  of  our  salvation.     For  who  can  assure  us  that 
God  really  means  what  He  hath  said  about  us  in  Ephesians 
if  He  hath  cast  away  Israel  and  is  not  keeping  His  promises? 
Will  He  not  do  the  same  with  us  ?    We  learn  therefore  that 
the  question  of  Romans  xi  is  a  very  important  one  indeed. 


CHAPTER  II. 

"FOR  I  AM   ALSO  AN  ISRAKUTK." 

THE  first  answer  to  the  important  question  "Hath  God 
cast  away  His  people?"  is  the  great  Apostle  to  the 
Gentiles  himself.    We  read  in  the  first  verse,  "For  I  also  am 
an  Israelite,  of  the  seed  of  Abraham,  of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin.  'nuj^Aj)o.tto 
God  hath  not  cast  away  His  people  whom  He  foreknew." 
The  Holy  Spirit  points  then  first  of  all  to  the  Apostle  and 
puts  him  b-fore  us  as  a  proof  that  God  has  not  completely 
and  finally  rejected  Israel.    It  is  a  significant  fact  that  in  each 
of  the  three  chapters  which  compose  the  dispensational  part 
of  Romans  the  Apostle  Paul  stands  in  the  foreground.    "I 
say  the  truth  in  Christ,  I  lie  not,  my  conscience  bearing  wit- 
ness with  me  in  the  Holy  Spirit  that  I  have  great  grief  and 
uninterrupted  pain  in  my  heart,  for  I  have  wished,  I  myself. 
to  be  a  curse  from  the  Christ,  for  my  brethren,  my  kinsmen 
according  to  flesh."  Thus  the  ninth  chapter  begins  and  in  the 
tenth  we  read  of  his  prayer  for  Israel,  not  his  prayer  alone 
but  surely  the  prayer  of  the  Holy  Spirit.    "Brethren,  the  de- 
light of  my  heart  and  my  supplication  which  I  address  to 
-lod  for  them  is  for  salvation"  (x:i).    In  our  chapter,  be-  Rom.ixandx. 
sides  mentioning  himself  in  the  beginning,  he  says :    "For  I 
speak  to  you,  the  nations,  inasmuch  as  I  am  Apostle  of  na- 
tions.   I  glorify  my  ministry ;  if  by  any  means  I  shall  pro- 
voke to  jealousy  them  which  are  my  flesh  and  shall  save 
some  from  among  them"  (verses  13,  14)-    The  instrument 

15 


i6 


Pani'tioT*.  used  to  make  known  the  mystery  of  God  and  the  unsearch- 
able riches  among  the  Gentiles  declares  his  great  love  for  his 
kinsmen  and  prays  for  their  salvation.  While  Gentiles,  the 
nations  receive  blessings,  Israel  is  still  "beloved  for  the 
Father's  sake"  and  not  to  be  forgotten. 

But  why  is  Paul  personally  mentioned  immediately  after 
the  question  concerning  Israel's  position?  It  is  generally 
said  that  by  referring  to  himself  he  wishes  to  prove  that  it  is 
possible  for  an  Israelite  to  accept  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and 
to  be  saved ;  he,  an  Israelite  full  of  hatred  against  the  Christ, 
had  been  saved,  and  this  proves  that  God  has  not  cast  away 
His  pec  le.  However,  the  question  before  us  is  not  whether 
an  individual  Jew  can  he  saved  or  cannot  be  saved;  it  is  a 
iational  question  which  is  before  us.  Besides  this,  the  pos- 
sibility of  the  salvation  of  Jews  had  been  fully  demonstrated 
on  the  day  of  Pentecost.  The  three  thousand  who  believed 
on  that  day  were  all  Jews,  as  well  as  the  thousands  who  be- 
lieved after  the  memorable  day  of  the  outpouring  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  We  have  therefore  to  look  for  a  deeper  mean- 
'    ing  of  Paul's  prominence  in  this  chapter. 

^*t?SiSu"'*"^"*"  The  key  to  this  deeper  meaning  is  the  fact  that  the  Holy 
Spirit  makes  the  conversion  of  Saul  of  Tarsus  not  alone 
very  prominent,  but  also  speaks  of  that  event  as  a  pattern. 
He  has  given  us  three  lengthy  accounts  of  it  in  the  Book  of 
Acts  (chapters  ix,  xxii  and  xxvi).  In  First  Timothy  we 
read:  "But  for  this  reason  mercy  was  shown  me,  that  in 
me,  the  first,  Jesus  Christ  might  display  the  whole  long 
suffering,  for  a  delineation  of  those  that  should  hereafter 

1  Tim.  1:16.         believe  on  Him  to  eternal  life"  (i  Tim.  i:i6).    And  again  li. 


m\  fiL'JUAWf  I".! 


»7 

is  written :  "And  last  of  all  Ke  was  seen  of  me  also  as  of 
one  bom  out  of  due  time"  (literally  "an  abortion")  (i  Cor.  iCor.«»:t. 
XV  :2).  These  are  inspired  statements  which  tell  us  we  have 
to  seek  for  a  deeper  significance  of  the  conversion  of  him 
who  calls  himself  "a  Hebrew  of  the  Hebrews"  (Phil.  iii:5). 
It  has  often  been  remarked  that  Saul's  conversion  is  the 
model  conversion  and  the  different  steps  are  reproduced  in 
every  genuine  conversion.  But  this  is  far  from  being  cor- 
rect. Saul  of  Tarsus'  conversion  was  an  altogether  unique  Muiof  TwMa. 
one.  There  has,  up  to  this  time,  never  been  a  conversion  like 
this  one.  Never  again  were  the  heavens  opened  and  a  light 
shone  brighter  than  the  sun ;  never  again  did  a  sinner,  such 
a  blind  persecutor,  behold  Jesus  in  glory  and  hear  His  voice, 
and  never  again  was  one  calk  ^  in  such  a  way  "to  be  an  elect 
vessel"  and  to  bear  the  Nam^;  of  the  Lord  "before  both 
nations  and  kings  and  the  sons  of  Israel."  His  conversion 
is  certainly  not  a  pattern  or  outline  of  every  other  conversion 
and  yet  it  is  a  delinfation,  a  hypotyposis. 

All  the  great  men  of  the  Old  Testament,  priests,  prophets 
and  kings,  were  in  their  lives  and  experiences  patterns,  types. 
The  great  Apostle  to  the  nations,  making  known  the  salva- 
tion to  the  nations,  himself  a  Jew,  is  not  less  a  type.  Hi-- 
wonderful  conversion  is  typical  of  the  future  conversior  ; 
the  nation  to  whom  he  belonged  according  to  the  flesii. 
What  God  did  in  his  case  He  can  and  will  do  for  Israel  in  a 
future  day.    The  conversion  of  Saul  of  Tarsus  is  the  type  Type  and  eftrneit 

■'  at  larael's  con- 

and  earnest  of  Israel's  conversion.  In  this  light  the  full 
meaning  of  the  quoted  passages  from  the  first  Epistle  of 
Timothv  and  Corinthians  can   be  easily   understood.     In 


Tertion. 


I8 


Saul's  conversion  Christ  showed  mercy  "the  first"  or  "as  a 
first  one,"  There  are  others  to  whom  that  mercy  is  to  be 
shown  and  to  whom  mercy  will  come  under  the  same  circum- 
stances and  by  the  same  heavenly  manifestation  of  the  glori- 
fied Son  of  Man,  and  the  people  to  whom  this  will  happen  is 
Isiael.  When  we  read  of  Paul  that  he  saw  the  Lord  as  one 
born  out  of  due  season,  it  is  the  same  thought  which  under- 

outotdue  lies  this  statement.      'he  untimely  birth,  before  the  time, 

suggests  another  birth  time  as  well  as  anouier  birth,  the 
birth  of  the  nation,  when  Israel,  the  remnant  of  His  people, 
will  be  born  again  by  looking  upon  Him  in  glory,  whom 
they  ha\e  pierced. 

The  comparison  of  Saul's  conversion  with  the  future  con- 
version of  Israel  as  revealed  in  the  prophetic  Word  is  ex- 
tremely striking.    The  delineation  is  perfect. 

iirMi'i  unbelief.  i.  Saul  of  Tarsus  in  unbelief  typifies  the  state  of  Israel 
as  a  nation  throughout  this  present  age.  He  was  a  learned 
Pharisee,  a  fierce  persecutor,  breathing  out  threatenings  and 
slaughter  against  the  disciples  of  the  Lord,  blind  and  un- 
believing. Such  is  Israel,  another  unbelieving  Saul,  and, 
like  him,  zealous  for  God  without  knowledge. 

Heaven  opeaed.  2.  The  Opened  heavcns,  the  vision  and  voice  of  the  glori- 
fied Jesus,  by  which  Saul  of  TarsuS  was  arrested  in  his 
career,  are  typical  of  the  coming  day  when  the  heavens  will 
be  opened  again  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  will  be  mani- 
fested in  power  and  in  glory.  At  His  second  visible  and 
glorious  coming  the  remnant  of  Israel  will  behold  Him  and 
learn  by  His  glorious  appearing  that  Jesus  is  their  Messiah 

2ech.  xii :  10-u.    and  King  (Zechariah  xii  :io-i4,  Matthew  xxiv  :2C),  30,  Revel. 


■T'S^'^'I^^"^^"^ 


19 


i:7).  The  opened  heavens,  the  great  light  flashing  forth, 
the  vision  and  voice  of  Jesus,  the  prostrate  Saul  there  on 
the  road  to  Damascus,  was  but  a  little  sample  of  what  God 
will  do  for  the  remnant  of  His  earthly  people  and  how  they 
shall  ai  last  know  Hl.n  and  receive  Him. 

3.  Paul's  service  to  nations  and  kings  foreshadows  iitmi* minntry. 
Israel's  coming  ministry  to  the  nations  of  the  earth.  Al! 
nations  are  yet  to  know  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  but  world 
conversion  is  only  possible  after  Israel  is  converted. 
Through  Israel  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  will  at  last  be 
blessed. 

These  three  great  facts  seen  in  the  conversion  of  Saul, 
typifying  Israel's  unbelief,  the  manner  and  result  of  their 
conversi'  •  we  shall  follow  throughout  the  chapter  and  learn 
from  the  ocriptures  some  of  the  revealed  details.  Wc  under- 
stand now  why  the  Holy  Spirit  puts  the  Aposlle  Paul  im- 
mediately after  the  questiot.  of  the  chapter  is  asked.  What 
manifestation  of  the  grace  and  wisdom  of  God !  The  instru- 
ment chosen  to  reveal  the  mysteries  hidden  in  former  ages 
and  to  complete  the  Word  of  God,  the  one  to  whom  is  given 
the  full  knowledge  of  the  Gospel  of  Grace  to  be  preached 
among  the  Gentiles,  while  Israel  is  set  aside  for  a  time,  is 
also  made  a  type,  a  pattern  of  what  Israel  is  to  be  and  to 
receive  in  the  future,  when  God  will  arise  and  have  mercy 
upon  Zion. 


m\ 


Historical  evi 
dence. 


Elijah. 


CHAPTER  III. 

THK   RKMNANT.-ISRAEL-S   APOSTASY   NOT   COMPLETE. 

THE  second  answer  to  the  important  question  and  argii- 
ment  that  God  has  not  cast  away  His  people  Israel  is 
continued   in   verses  2-6.     "God  hath   not  cast   away   His 
people  whom  He  foreknew.    Know  ye  not  what  the  Scrip- 
ture says  in  the  history  of  Elias.  how  he  pleads  with  God 
against  Israel?    Lord,  they  have  killed  Thy  prophets,  they 
have  dug  down  Thine  altars;  and  I  have  been  left  alone 
and  they  seek  my  life.    But  what  says  the  divine  answer  to 
him?    I  have  left  to  :\Iyself  seven  thousand  men  who  have 
not  bowed  the  knee  to  Baal.     Thus,  then,  in  the  present 
time    also  there  has  been  a  remnant  according  to  election 
of  grace.     But  if  by  grace,  no  longer  works;  since  other- 
wise grace  is  no  more  grace." 

It  is  historical  evidence  which  is  placed  in  these  words 
before  us.  The  Holy  Spirit  reaches  back  into  the  history 
of  the  nation  and  calls  our  attention  to  an  important  episode. 
The  prophet  Elijah  lived  in  a  time  when  almost  everything 
among  the  professing  people  of  God  was  being  swept  away 
into  the  apost:  A   great   reformation   took  place;  God 

had  answered  the  call  of  Elijah  on  Mount  Carmel  by  fire, 
and  when  the  fire  of  the  Lord  consumed  the  burnt  sacrifice, 
and  the  wood  and  the  stones,  and  the  dust,  and  licked  up 
the  water  that  was  in  the  trench,  and  when  all  the  people 

20 


3Z 

saw,  they  cried  out:  "Jehovah  is  God!  Jehovah  is  God!" 
The  prophets  of  Baal  were  slain  there  and  then.    The  Lord 
also  graciously  opened  the  heavens  and  there  was  an  abund- 
ance of  rain.    All  this  has  a  typical  and  dispensational  mean- 
ing, which  we  cannot  follow  in  detail  at  this  time.     The 
wonderful  manifestation  of  the  Lord  out  of  the  opened 
heavens,  however,  did  not  turn  the  people  from  the  path  of 
apostasy.    A  little  while  later  Jezebel  sent  a  messenger  unto 
Elijah,  saying,  "So  let  the  gods  do  to  me,  and  more  also, 
if  I  make  not  thy  life  as  the  life  of  one  of  them  by  to- 
morrow about  this  time"  (i  Kings  xix:2).    Elijah,  in  the  iKiuK8xix:2. 
weakness  of  the  flesh,  fails  and  flees.    We  find  him  a  day's 
journey  in  the  wilderness.     There  we  see  him  under  a 
juniper  tree,  and  he  requested  for  himself  that  he  might  die ; 
and  said ;  It  is  enough ;  now,  O  Lord,  take  away  my  life ;  for 
I  am  not  better  than  my  Fathers.    But  the  Lord  meets  His 
servant.    "What  doest  thou  here,  EHjah?"    "And  he  said, 
I  have  been  very  jealous  for  the  Lord  God  of  hosts;  for 
the  children  of  Israel  have  forsaken  Thy  covenant,  thrown 
down  Thine  altars,  and  slain  Thy  prophets  with  the  sword ; 
and  I,  even  I  only,  am  left ;  and  they  seek  my  life  to  take  it 
away.     Twice  he  repeats  this  wonderful  tale  born  by  a 
discouraged  and  unbelieving  heart.     But  now  comes  the 
answer  of  the  Lord  to  him.    He  tells  him  how  mistaken  he 
is  about  being  left  alone,  the  only  Israelite  who  has  not  fal- 
len away.     "Yet  I  have  left  me  seven  thousand  in  Israel, 
all  the  knees  which  have  not  bowed  unto  Baal  and  every  a  remnant, 
mouth  which  hath  not  kissed  him."    The  Lord  had  a  rem- 
nant, a  faithful  remnant,  among  His  people  even  at  the 


■^g? 


.    *    M&k 


H^Sf! 


\ 


33 

time  of  their  great  apostasy.    This  is  the  thought  and  argu- 

,.aeVsapo,t..  ment  here.     The  apostasy  of  Israel  is  never  a  cornpU^^ 
not  complete.  The  Lord  has  always  a  remnant  faithful  to  Him 

and  the  covenants  among  them.  In  this  respect  the  differ- 
ence of  the  apostasy  of  Israel  and  the  predicted  apostasy 
of  Gentile  Christendom  is  very  marked.  One  of  Israels 
race  has  expressed  it  very  pointedly  in  the  following  words : 

"The  apostasy  of  Israel  is  not  as  the  apostasy  of  Christen- 
dom     The  apostasy  of  Christendom  is  incurable,  but  the 
apostasy  of  Israel  is  curable.    Although  Israel  have  -jected 
Jesus,  they  do  not  wish  to  reject  God;  they  still  believe  m 
His  Word;  they  still  invoke  His  holy  name.     They  sttll 
remember  the  Sabbath  Day  to  keep  it  holy.    They  still,  as 
th'  Apostle  Paul  says,  have  a  zeal  for  God.  although  it  is 
not  according  to  knowledge.     The  children  of  Israel  are 
like  the  brothers  of  Joseph.    After  they  had  sold  Joseph 
into  Egypt,  they  returned  to  their  father  Jacob,  and  then 
for  a  number  of  years  their  conduct  was  less  blamable 
than  it  had  been  before.    They  seemed  to  have  been  anxious 
to  please  their  father  Jacob,  and  to  walk  before  him  in  the 
right  path.     Still,  there  was  upon  their  hearts  the  blood- 
guiltiness,  in  that  they  had  delivered  their  brother  Joseph 
into  the  hands  of  their  enemies.    And  so  it  is  with  Israel 
now.    There  is  still  a  godly  remnant  among  them.    There 
is  still  the  fear  of  God  and  the  acknowledgment  of  God  be- 
fore their  eyes.    Whereas,  what  is  the  history  of  apostate 
Christendom,  as  it  is  presented  to  us  in  the  Scriptures,  and 


♦Adolph  Saphir. 


nfv^^M 


y 


33 

the  beginnings  of  which  we  can  see  already?    First,  people  ^•^^"•pSIti/y''" 

do  not  believe  in  Jesus  as  an  atonement.  They  begin  with  that. 

They  do  not  like  the  blood  of  Jesus.    They  like  the  character 

of  Jesus  very  well.    Then  they  give  up  Jesus  too.     Then 

they  give  up  the  Father  too,  and  do  not  believe  in  creation. 

And  then  they  become  agnostics,  and  say  they  know  nothing 

about  it— whether  there  is  a  God  or  not — the  worst  thing 

that  this  world  has  ever  seen,  and  the  most  insulting  to  God. 

And  then  they  give  up  morality,  as  necessarily  they  must 

give  it  up ;  and  then  they  fall  into  the  most  abject  pessimism, 

and  look  upon  man  as  a  flower  of  the  field,  which  is  to-day 

and  to-morrow  is  cast  into  the  oven.    This  is  the  downward 

career  of  the  Gentile  apostasy.    But  in  the  Jewish  apostasy 

there  is  still  kept  the  connecting  link,  the  golden  thread — 

a  spark  dying,  yet  not  dead,  of  a  belief  in  God,  however 

unenlightened,  and  in  a  future." 

The  Lx>rd  always  has  a  remnant  among  His  people  and 
that  remnant  is  the  sign  and  evidence  that  He  hath  not  cast 
away  His  people. 

We  shall,  however,  show  what  we  have  to  understand 
by  "remnant;"  and  the  remnant  that  has  been,  and  will  yet 
be  called,  we  shall  fully  investigate. 

The  question  concerning  the  remnant  is  a  most  interesting 

one.    That  the  Lord  has  such  a  remnant  according  to  the 

election  of  grace  among  His  people  is,  as  we  have  stated 

before,  evide  -e  that  He  hath  not  cast  them  away.    There  is 

a  double  remnant  which  is  to  be  considered.    The  remnant  a  douWe  rem- 
nant. 

which  has  been  in  the  beginning  of  this  dispensation  and 
the  remnant  which  will  yet  be  called  for  a  definite  work  and 


»:«iri^F^ 


■*■■ 


n 


24 

testimony  at  ,h.  tta.  when  Israel's  Hop.  wUl  appear  »d 
the  glorious  promises  made  to  the  nafon  find  the  r  fulffl 
„enf    Between  these  two  remnants,  a  remnant  at  the  be 
.  ^  ..  .,  ^,  of  the  present  age  and  a  7-';' *' ™  ;": 
'-  ""°"'  fnother  faC-.he  fact  that  the  Body  "^  '"".^'^'Z 
Christ  is  composed  of  believing  Jews  and  GentUes  and  hat 
«  the  p'reaching  of  the  Gos,.l  of  Orac.  »°t  ^-c 
T..C.U..        sinners  of  the  Gentiles  are  added  to  that  body,  but  a  .Jews 
who  believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.    As  soon,  then,  as 
:,.  believes  he  ceases  to  be  a  Jew.    His  Hope  is  no  long 
national  and  earthly,  but  heavenly ;  he  belong  no  .onger  .0 
the  earthly  Jerusalem,  but  to  the  heavenly;  h.  has.  Ike  the 
bring  gLic,  nothing  to  do  with  the  law  its  ordinances 
and  cerLonies.    It  is  impossiole  to  speak  of  a  remnant  0 
srael  a.  this  time,  which  is  saved  by  Grace  and  wh^  Md 
a  specific  national  Jewish  position  in  the  earth.    Wh»  the 
How  Spirit  gave  the  full  revelation  concermng  the  church, 
":  Wy  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  we  do  not  rea    anyAmg 
T»..««.or,u.  whatever  about  the  believing  Jew,  who,  as  ,t  .s  bemg 
"'°"°"    '■    claimed  "should  not  sever  his  connection  w.th  the  nation 
alTwho  should  still  contmue  in  keeping  Jewish  laws  and 
feast  davs     All  national  distinctions  cease  m  ;nat  body,  and 
to  preach  that  the  believing  Jew  should  continue  .0  keep  the 
seventh  day,  practice  circumcision,  keep  *;  P--"    ^^^ 
other  feast  days,  is  no.  alone  nowhere  taught  m  the  » 
in  which  the  Word  of  God  is  «,mpleted,  but  such  teachmg 
is  ..nscriptural  and  brings  in  a  sad  and  confusmg  mtxture 
which  destroys  the  simplicity  of  the  Gospel. 
Now  in  the  beginning  of  this  present  age  there  certamly 


Confusion. 


as 


^ 


was  such  a  Jewish-Christian  remnant  in  existence.    To  this 
the  words  of  the  apostle  refer  us.    "Thus,  then,  in  the  present 
time  there  has  been  a  remnant  according  to  the  election  of 
Grace  ■'    That  remnant  of  Jewish  believers  is  seen  in  the 
opening  chapters  of  the  Book  of  Acts.    The  three  thousand  m  the  beginning, 
saved  on  the  day  of  Pentecost  were  all  Jews.    Soon  there 
was  a  very  strong  assembly  composed  of  Jewish  believers  in 
Jerusalem,  who  were  faithful  witnesses  for  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  and  who  bore  a  faithful  testimony  in  Jerusalem, 
which  was  fast  ripening  for  the  great  judgment.    Not  alone 
in  Jerusalem,  but  also  in  other  parts  of  the  land,  Jews  be- 
came believers  and   formed  Jewish-Christian   synagogues. 
When  Paul  went  to  Jerusalem  the  elders  of  the  Jtwish- 
Christian  assembly  said  to  him :    "Thou  seest,  brother,  how 
many  myriads  there  are  of  the  Jews  who  have  beUeved,  and  Myriads  beiiev- 
are  all  zealous  for  the  law.    And  they  have  been  informed 
concerning  thee  that  thou  teachest  all  the  Jews  among  the 
nations  apostasy  from  Moses,  saying  that  they  should  not 
circumcise  their  children,  nor  walk  in  the  customs"  (Acts 
xxi:2i).     Paul's  Gospel  certainly  teaches  this,  and  it  was 
the  hour  of  his  failure  when  he  went  back  to  the  ceremonial 
law.    But  the  passage  t'^'N  us  that  there  were  myriads  of 
believers,  all  Jews  wh  ':inued  in  the  observance  of  the 

law.  They  went  to  tht  .^mple  to  pra>,  kept  the  different 
feasts— in  one  word,  they  contmued  in  all  the  Jewish  cus- 
toms. God's  mercy  was  still  lingering  over  Jerusalem  and 
these  Hebrew-Christian  believers  had  hopes  that  the  nation 
would  yet  receive  their  testimony  and  accept  Him  whom 
they  had  rejected.     They  were  persecuted,  beaten,  some 


I 


A  traniition 
period. 


Hebrew*. 


26 

killed,  their  goods  spoiled,  cast  out  of  *;;^  «7»«°^*  ^f 
the  temple,  and  still  they  continued  in  th«r  ^fl^l^^^^ 
mony.    It  was  a  transition  period,  passmg  out  of  the  old 
into  the  new.    For  a  time  such  an  att^"^^^^  ^7^^^^" 
lievers  was  undoubtedly  justified.    But  then  the  Holy  Spmt 
addressed  an  Epistle  to  these  Hebrews,  and  that  Epistle 
gives  us  not  only  a  true  insight  into  their  condition  and 
danger,  their  steadfastness  and  faithfulness,  but  it  also  re- 
veals how  the  Holy  Spirit  shows  them  the  better  things  of 
the  new  covenant.    No  one  can  read  the  Epistle  to  the  He- 
brews  without  being  convinced  that  in  this  wonderfu  com- 
mentary to  the  levitical  institutions,  showing  the  fulfiUment 
in  Him  who  is  a  better  priest,  a  priest  after  the  order  o 
Melchizedek.  the  Spirit  of  God  aims  at  this  very  fart,  that 
an  ceremonies,  all  levitical  observances,  are  to  be  discon- 
tinued    They  were  ail  the  shadows  of  better  things.    In  the 
end  of  the  Epistle  He  speaks  that  Word  which  showed  these 
Hebrew  believers  their  true  position.  "Let  us  go  forth  to 
Him  without  the  camp,  bearing  His   reproach"    (Hebr. 

xiii  *  I  ^  I 

At  last  Jerusalem  fell.  The  temple  was  destroyed.  The 
people  v.ere  scattered.  It  was  therefore  made  impossible 
for  Jewish  believers  to  continue  in  the  position  which  they 
held  for  years.  Jewish-Christian  assemblies  in  their  peculiar 
aeru...e.fai.en.  national  character  ceased  in  their  existence.  While  m  the 
beginning  of  this  dispensation  it  was  "to  the  Jew  first,  that 
order  was  stopped  with  the  full  rejection  of  Jerusalem  and 
the  dispersion  of  the  Jews. 

However,  the  existence  of  a  remnant  of  believers  among 


i^PfUffP 


27 

the  nation,  the  myriads  who  had  accepted  the  Lord  as  their 
Saviour  and  the  Hope  of  Israel,  was  a  definite  proof  that 
God  had  not  completely  cast  away  His  people.  It  was  proof 
that  He  was  ready  to  deal  with  them  according  to  His  in- 
finite mercy. 

A  Jewish  remnant  in  the  sense  of  the  apostolic  days  is  no 
longer  possible.   To  teacii  that  such  a  remnant  is  to  be  gath- 
ered  now  and  to  attempt  the  formation  of  Jewish  national 
assemblies  of  believing  Hebrews,  who  continue  as  Jews  N^£,S*^ionai^;^- 
though  trusting  in  Christ,  practicing  circumcision,  fasts  and 
other  Jewish  customs,  is  confusing  and  mars  completely  the 
doctrines  of  Grace  and  that  revelation  of  all  revelations, 
the  church,  which  is  His  Body.    We  repeat  it  once  more, 
the  believing  Jew  at  this  time  is  not  "gentilized,"  as  has 
been  pressed  so  much  from  a  certain  side,  but  he  becomes 
a  member  of  the  body  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  has 
with  every  other  believer  a  heavenly  hope,  a  heavenly  des- 
tiny.   When  the  Lord  Jesus  Cnrist  comes  to  take  His  own 
unto  Himself,  every  believing  Jew,  saved  by  Grace,  will  be 
caught  up  to  meet  the  Lord  in  the  air. 

A  fact  in  this  connection  must  not  be  overlooked.  The 
Lord  has  put  His  hand  throughout  this  Christian  dispensa- 
tion, in  every  century,  upon  hundreds  and  thousands  of  Jews, 
and'through  His  Grace  they  have  been  saved,  not  a  few  of 
them  in  a  most  remarkable  way.  The  past  century,  the 
nineteenth,  has  had  more  witnesses  in  this  respect  than  any 
other.  Some  of  the  best  teachers,  expositors  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, were  converted  Hebre-  We  mention  Adolf  Saphir,  witnesses  from 
Dr.  Edersheim,  Neander,  Cassel,  Gottheil  and  Rabinowitz. 


.'  y^v'^TW  •;7^..&>»;^'.i-  .'Ji^i^pa 


i 


Qospvl  of  the 
KlngdoEB. 
Matt.  xxlT :  14' 


144,000. 


38 

Some  of  them  were  led  out  of  the  deepest  darkness  with 
thousands  of  others  whose  names  are  not  so  universally 
known.  This,  too,  is  an  evidence  that  blindness  has  hap- 
pened only  in  part  to  Israel. 

But  there  is  yet  to  be  a  Jewish  remnant,  a  strong  and 
mighty  witness  that  God  hath  not  cast  away  His  people. 
This  future  remnant  of  believing  Hebrews  will  be  called  as 
soon  as  the  church  is  complete  and  removed  from  the  earth 
This  remnant  to  be  called  through  Grace  corresponds  to  the 
remnant  of  the  beginning  of  this  age. 

Their  Gospel  will  be  the  Gospel  of  the  Kingdom,  the 
Kingdom  of  the  Heavens  is  at  hand."  It  will  emanate  from 
Jerusalem  and  will  be  declared  among  the  nations  (Matt. 
xxiv:i4).  Of  this  remnant,  suffering  and  persecuted,  we 
read  in  the  Olivet  discourse  of  our  Lord.  The  Old  Testa- 
ment Scriptures  are  full  with  prophecies  concerning  the 
faithful  remnant  of  the  endtime.  The  Book  of  Psalms 
can  be  understood  only  in  the  light  of  a  believing  remnant  of 
Jews,  suffering  in  the  midst  of  the  ungodly  nation  and  deliv- 
ered by  the  coming  of  the  King  out  of  the  opened  heavens 
The  144,000  sealed  in  Revelation  vii  are  all  Israelites  and 
the  company  out  of  aU  nations  and  tongues,  who  come  out 
of  the  great  tribulation,  and  seen  as  overcome  in  the  second 

"T^.T^ere  true  and  scriptural  that  the  Church  is  to  pass  through 
the  great  tribulation,  it  ^.ould  also  be  perfectly  m  order  to  have  a 
Jewish  national  assembly  ot  Hebrew  believers  now.  Indeed  the  es- 
ablishment  of  such  would  then  be  very  desirable  and  would  be  a 
Sosf  definite  mark  of  the  endtime.  On  the  f "  ^^"^^ . '* /^^  J 
produce  two  testimonies,  a  fact  that  cannot  be  harmonized  with 
any  of  God's  dispensational  teachmgs. 


39 

half  of  Revelation  vii,  are  the  fruits  of  the  witness  and 
labors  of  this  Jewish  remnant.  That  they  do  not  belong  to 
the  church  is  evident  from  the  scope  of  the  Book  of  Reve- 
lation. The  church  is  seen  in  glory  in  the  crowned  twenty- 
four  elders  in  chapters  iv  and  v.  Only  after  the  church  is 
in  the  presence  of  the  Lord  can  the  remnant  be  called  and 
sealed  and  begin  its  peculiar  testimony.  Now  this  fact  that 
God  has  had  a  remnant  and  will  yet  call  such  a  remnant 
proves  that  He  hath  not  cast  away  Tlis  people. 


."T3STS1BK2 


^srT^^'^m^!ami&i^ssi^^Bm:^,!M^$'i<i^tms&^'^.  r 


CHAPTER  IV. 

ISRAEL'S  APOSTASY  AND   BLINDNESS   NOT    PERMANENT. 

THE  next  answer  to  the  question  of  Romans  xi  and  argu- 
ment of  Israel's  position  in  Gofl's  purposes  is  taken 
from  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures. 

"What  is  it  then  ?  What  Israel  seeks  for,  that  he  has  not 
obtained;  but  the  election  has  obtained,  and  the  rest  have 
been  blinded,  according  as  it  is  written,  God  has  given  to 
them  a  spirit  of  slumber,  eyes  not  to  see,  and  ears  not  to 
hear,  unto  this  day.  And  David  says.  Let  their  table  be  for 
a  snare,  and  for  a  gin,  and  for  a  falltrap,  and  for  a  recom- 
pense to  them ;  let  their  eyes  be  darkened  not  to  see,  and  bow 
down  their  back  alway"  (verses  7-10). 

It  is  here  where  commentaries  have  their  say  about  the 
blindness  of  Israel  and  that  God  is  completely  through  with 
the  Jews.  What  a  ridiculous  way  some  persons  have  in  in- 
terpreting the  Word  of  God.  Some  labor  to  prove  that  in 
the  beginning  of  this  chapter  Paul  means  the  "spiritual 
Israel"— the  church— and  not  the  literal  Israel,  but  when  the 
same  expositors  reach  the  verses  which  are  before  us  now, 
they  are  very  correct  and  orthodox  in  saying  it  is  literal 
Israel.  Such  method  of  Bible  exposition  has  done  untold 
Harm  of  certain  harm  in  coufusing  Christian  believers,  besides  being  dishon- 
Bibie  exposi.     ^^.^^  ^^  ^^^     ^^^^  ^^^  apostlc  speaks  here  of  the  election 

he  means  the  believing  part  of  the  nation  at  all  times,  the 
remnant  past,  the  remnant  future,  and  all  those  who  believe 

30 


BlindDess  of 
Israel. 


Jl 


3> 


now  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  When  he  speaks  of  the  rest 
being  blinded  he  means  the  r'lmainder  of  the  nation,  which 
does  not  believe.  As  th'y  refused  Him  who  spake,  blind- 
ness judicially  was  put  upon  them.  Now  this  judicial  blind- 
ness must  not  be  looked  upon  in  a  way  as  not  a  few  have 
done  it,  r.nd  then  by  inference  use  it  to  build  upon  it  such  raise  inference, 
abominable  doctrines  as  universal  salvation.  They  reason 
God  blinded  them  and  they  are  not  responsible  for  what  they 
cannot  see.  God  will  have  mercy  upon  them  all,  and  all 
Jews  will  be  saved  -^t  last,  all  who  died  with  this  judicial 
blindness  upon  them.  We  shall  take  up  this  evil  doctrine 
later  in  our  exposition. 

The  judicial  blindness  is  not  to  be  understood  that  every 
Jew  born  is  born  with  this  blindness  upon  him.  Far  ')e  this 
thought!  Every  generation  of  Jews,  in  refusing  the  light  judicial bitmi- 
which  shines  for  all,  in  sharing  the  sin  of  their  fathers  in 
rejecting  their  H.'issiah,  in  persevering  in  their  evil  ways  of 
unbelief,  is  put  under  the  sentence  of  this  judicial  blindness. 
The  Jew  may  see  if  he  so  chooses  and  he  may  refuse  the 
light.  God  declared  in  His  Word  beforehand  what  would 
happen  to  th  n  in  this  respect. 

Before  us  are  three  quotations  from  the  Old  Testament 
Scriptures.  The  Hebrews  divide  the  Old  Testament  into 
three  parts:  The  Law,  the  Prophets,  and  the  Writings,  xhree^quote- 
The  Holy  Spirit  here  quotes  from  each  of  these  divisions. 
The  passages  quoted  prove  that  such  a  judicial  blindness  is 
to  come  upon  them  according  to  God's  sovereign  dealings. 
Now  the  most  significant  fact  is  that  in  none  of  these  pas- 
sages to  which  the  Holy  Spirit  calls  our  attention  He  teaches 


1! 


BUndBMt  not 
flii*l. 


Oaut.  xzix :  4. 


.|, 


imitth  zxiz :  10. 


32 

that  this  blindness  is  to  be  permanent  and  final.  There  is  no 
prophecy  in  the  Scriptures  which  declares  that  the  present 
blinded  condition  of  Israel  is  their  permanent  condition. 

The  three  quotations  from  the  Old  Testament  Scripture! 
teach  us  much  on  these  lines.  The  first  is  taken  from  the 
Book  of  Deuteronomy,  "Yet  the  Lord  hath  not  given  you  an 
heart  to  perceive,  and  eyes  to  see,  and  ears  to  hear,  unto  this 
day"  (Deut.  xxix'4).  It  is  well  known  how  wonderfully 
the  whole  future  of  Israel  is  predicted  through  Moses  in 
the  closing  chapters  of  the  last  Book  which  he  wrote  by 
divine  inspiration.  Their  whole  history  is  outlined.  They 
were  to  be  a  people  blinded,  forsaking  God,  to  be  scattered 
in  consequence  of  it  unto  the  corners  of  the  earth.  Their 
whole  career  ot  decline  ant'  apostasy  is  made  known.  But 
alongside  of  all  these  prophecies  of  what  should  befall  them 
and  which  were  so  literally  fulfilled  w?  find  propheci'  s  re- 
lating to  their  restoration  and  future  blessing.  There  is 
not  a  word  anywhere  in  the  writings  of  Moses  which  declares 
that  God  would  ever  leave  them  under  the  curse  and  in  the 
condition  where  God  in  His  governmental  dealings  had  to 
put  them. 

If  we  turn  to  the  prophets,  we  find  that  Isaiah  xxix  :io  is 
quoted :  "For  the  Lord  hath  poured  out  upon  you  the  spirit 
of  deep  sleep,  and  hath  closed  your  eyes ;  the  prophets  and 
your  rulers,  the  seers,  hath  He  covered.  And  the  vision  of 
all  is  become  unto  you  as  the  words  of  a  book  that  is  sealed 
which  men  deliver  to  one  that  is  learned,  saying.  Read  this, 
I  pray  thee,  and  he  saith,  I  cannot,  for  it  is  sealed."  How 
all  this  has  been  fulfilled  in  the  judicial  blindness,  which  has 


M, 


33 


come  upon  Israel !  Eyes  to  see  not  and  cars  to  hear  not ; 
they  read  their  own  Scriptures  and  worship  the  law  as  the 
breath  of  God  and  still  they  see  not  Him  who  is  the  End  of 
the  Law ;  nor  do  they  hear  His  voice  as  He  speaks  in  the 
Book.  Their  own  Scriptures  are  indeed  a  sealed  Book  to 
them.  But  is  this  condition  to  prevail  forever?  Is  there  no 
hope  for  a  change?  Does  Isaiah  or  any  other  prophet  utter 
nothing  but  curse  and  blindness  upon  a  disobedient  people, 
for  whon.  there  is  no  hope?  It  is  far  different.  Not  alone 
do  Isaiah  and  the  rest  of  God's  prophets  reveal  that  the 
apostasy  and  judgment  of  Israel  is  only  temporary,  but  their 
writings  are  full  of  glorious  visions  of  that  which  is  yet  in 
store  for  the  nation.  It  is  true  a  Christian  exposition  of  the 
Scriptures,  lacking  the  illuminating  power  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  has  made  sad  havoc  with  these  visions.  These  visions  spirit uaiizinK 
of  a  glorious  future  are  almost  universally  applied  to  the 
church,  and  the  blindness  and  curses  left  upon  the  Jews. 
Such  unreasonable  method  of  Bible  interpretation  as  still 
upheld  is  disastrous  and  must  result  in  the  greatest  con- 
fusion. 

We  do  not  need  to  go  outside  of  the  chapter  from  which 
we  have  quoted  to  show  that  the  judicial  blindness  is  not  the 
final  state  of  Israel.  In  the  closing  verses  of  Isaiah  xxix 
we  have  Jehovah's  comfortable  v/ord  for  Israel : 

"And  in  that  day  the  deaf  Sk'all  hear  the  words  of  the 
Book,  and  the  eyes  of  the  blind  shall  see  out  of  obscurity  and 
out  of  darkness.  T^he  meek  also  shall  increase  their  joy  in 
the  Lord,  and  the  poor  among  men  shall  rejoice  in  the  Holy 
One  of  Israel.    For  the  terrible  one  is  brought  to  naught, 


^ 


34 


i 


and  the  scorner  is  consumed,  and  all  that  watch  for  iniquity 
are  cut  off"  (verses  18-20).  This  is  a  prophecy  relating  to 
the  future.  "That  day"  is  the  day  of  our  Lord's  manifesta- 
tion in  power  and  glory,  and  to  the  blind  and  deaf  people 
blessings  are  promised.  Throughout  Isaiah's  vision  we  find 
hundreds  of  promises  which  belong  to  Israel  and  which  were 
never  fulfilled  in  the  past. 

The  third  division  of  the  Hebrew  Bible,  the  Writings,  is 
represented  in  the  passage  before  us  by  a  quotation  from  the 
Book  of  Psalms:  "Let  their  table  become  a  snare  before 
them,  and  their  very  welfare  a  trap ;  let  their  eyes  be  dark- 
ened, that  they  see  not,  and  make  their  loins  continually  to 
shake.  Pour  out  thine  indignation  upon  them,  and  let  the 
fierceness  of  thine  anger  take  hold  of  them.  Let  their  habi- 
tation be  desolate;  let  there  be  no  dweller  in  their  tents" 

Psalm ixii:28-34.   (Psalm  lxix:22-24). 

David  uttered  these  words  through  the  Holy  Spirit.  The 
connection  in  which  they  stand  is  very  significant.  It  is  not 
David  who  relates  his  sufferings  here,  but  the  Spirit  of  Christ 
testifies  beforehand  concerning  the  sufferings  which  are  in 
Christ  and  the  rejection  of  the  Messiah  by  His  own  people. 
"Reproach  has  broken  my  heart  and  I  am  full  of  heaviness ; 
and  I  looked  for  some  to  take  pity,  but  there  was  none ;  and 

Tbe  sufferings  of  for  comforters,  bnt  I  found  none.    They  gave  me  also  gall 

Christ. 

for  my  meat;  and  in  my  thirst  they  gave  me  vinegar  to 
drink"   (Psalm  lxix:2o).     All  this  was  fulfilled  in  Christ. 
This  very  prophecy  He  remembered  on  the  cross  when  He 
said,  that  the  Scriptures  might  be  fulfilled,  "I  thirst." 
The  words  of  imprecation,  which  follow  and  which  are 


35 

quoted  in  our  chapter,  show  what  was  to  come  upon  the 
people  who  treated  Him  thus.    Even  so  it  has  been.    But 
shall  they  ever  remain  in  that  condition  of  rejection?    Shall 
that  awful  cry  "His  blood  be  upon  us  and  upon  our  children" 
continually  be  executed  upon  all  future  ^generations,  or  is  a 
day  coming  when  that  precious  blood  in  its  atoning  power 
will  cover  all  Israel  and  blessing  will  take  the  place  of  the 
curse?    We  only  need  to  turn  to  the  close  of  this  Psalm  to 
find  an  answer  once  more.    "For  God  will  save  Zion,  and 
will  build  the  cities  of  Judah ;  that  they  may  dwell  there  and 
have  it  in  possession.    The  seed  also  of  His  servants  shall 
inherit  it ;  and  they  that  love  His  name  shall  dwell  therein" 
(Psalm  lxix:35,  36).     Here  the  future  of  Zion  and  the 
np.tion  is  given.    The  whole  Book  of  Psalms  is  full  of  the 
praises  of  His  redeemed  people  Israel,  brought  back  to  God 
and  into  their  own  land,  with  Jehovah  as  King  dwelling  in 
their  midst.     These  praises  are,  of  course,  all  future;  but 
these  Psalms  tell  us  that  God  has  not  finally  cast  away  His 
people.     We  learn  therefore  that  the  threatened  and  pre- 
dicted blindness  of  Israel,  predicted  in  the  Law,  the  Proph- 
ets, and  the  Writings,  the  entire  Old  Testament,  has  come  to 
pass.    But  this  blindness  is  not  complete  nor  final.    The  Lord 
who  brought  blindness  upon  Israel  will  yet  bless  His  people 
Israel  with  peace  and  do  all  He  spake  through  the  mouth 
of  His  holy  prophets. 


r 


I  i 


Afcain  :  Far  be 
the  thought. 


I 


CHAPTER  V 

"TO   PROVOKE   THEM   TO  JEALOUSY." 

TV/E  find  the  next  answer  to  our  question  in  the  eleventh 
^  verse.  "I  say,  then,  have  ihcy  stumbled  in  order  that 
they  might  fall?  Far  be  the  thought :  but  by  their  fall  there 
is  salvation  to  the  nations  to  provoke  them  to  jealousy."  We 
have  learned  before  that  the  setting  aside  of  Israel  is  not 
final,  their  blindness  and  hardness  of  heart  is  not  to  be  their 
permanent  condition.  They  did  stumble  indeed,  but  their 
stumbling  was  not  for  the  sake  of  their  fall.  The  second 
time  we  find  in  the  chapter  the  emphatic  "Far  be  the 
thought."  Put  this  thought  as  far  away  as  possible  from 
you,  that  God  should  permit  His  own  people,  His  chosen 
people,  the  people  whom  He  foreknew,  to  stumble  in  order 
that  they  might  fall.  A  wonderful  fact  is  now  brought  to 
our  notice.  God's  deep  councils  of  mercy  and  wisdom  are 
being  put  before  us.  "By  their  fall  there  is  salvation  to 
the  nations." 

This  great  fact  is  not  altogether  unknown  in  the  predic- 
tions of  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures,  though  the  extent  is 
a  new  revelation,  for  we  read  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Ephes- 
(jrnce  for  Gen-  ians,  that  the  fullucss  of  the  grace  of  God  towards  the 
nations  (Gentiles)  is  one  of  the  mysteries  made  known 
through  Paul.  "For  this  reason,  I  Paul,  prisoner  of  the 
Christ  Jesus  for  you  Gentiles,  if  ye  have  heard  of  the  dis- 
pensation of  the  grace  of  God  which  is  given  me  to  you- 

.^6 


37 

ward ;  how  that  by  revelation  He  made  known  unto  me  the 
mystery  (as  I  wrote  afore  in  a  few  words,  whereby  when 
you  read,  ye  may  understand  my  knowledge  in  the  mys- 
tery of  the  Christ),  which  in  other  ages  was  not  made 
known  unto  the  sons  of  men,  as  it  is  now  revealed  unto  His 
holy  apostles  and  prophets  by  the  Spirit;  that  the  Gentiles 
should  be  fellowheirs  and  of  the  same  body,  and  partakers 
of  His  promise  in  the  Christ  by  the  Gospel"  (Eph.  iii:i-6). 

We  find,  however,  while  th<-  fact  that  the  unsearchable 
riches  of  the  Christ  were  tc  cached  among  the  Gen- 

tiles for  the  formation  of  the  ....ch,  which  is  His  body,  is 
a  new  revelation,  that  the  very  words  in  the  verse  before  us 
point  us  back  to  the  Old  Testament. 

In  Deuteronomy  xxxii,  the  farewell  song  of  Moses,  a  Deut.xxxii. 
God-breathed  song  and  wonderful  prophecy,  the  Holy  Spirit 
gives  us  a  history  of  Israel.    Their  origin  and  calling  the  Aiiin8pir«d 

history. 

mercy  and  goodness  of  God  towards  them,  their  disobedi- 
ence and  apostasy,  rejection  and  punishment,  restoration 
and  glorious  future,  all  is  clearly  predicted  and  outlined. 
Let  the  infidel  and  higher  critic  answer  the  argument  of 
supernaturalism  contained  in  the  song  of  Moses.  He 
cannot;  it  is  a  miracle. 

Beginning  at  the  fifteenth  verse  of  that  chapter  we  read : 
"But  Joshurun  waxed  fat  and  kick-H :  thou  art  waxen  fat, 
thou  art  grown  thick— thou  art  covered  I  Then  he  forsook 
God.  which  made  him  and  lightly  esteemed  the  rock  of  His 
salvation.  They  provoked  Him  to  jealousy  with  strange 
gods,  with  abominations  provoked  they  Him  to  anger.  They 
sacrificed  unto  demons,  not  to  God;  to  gods  whom  they 


t 


I::       .^] 


38 


i 


Sanation  to 
Gentiles. 


S; 

'  li 

ill 


knew  not,  to  new  gods  that  came  newly  up,  whom  your 
fathers  feared  not.  Of  the  Rock  that  begat  thee,  thou  art 
unmindful,  and  hast  forsaken  God  that  formed  thee.  And 
when  the  Lord  saw  it  He  abhorred  them,  because  of  the 
pr-voking  of  his  sons.  ?  J  of  his  daughters.  And  He  said, 
I  will  hide  My  face  from  them,  I  will  see  what  their  end 
shall  be ;  for  they  are  a  very  f reward  generation,  children 
in  whom  is  no  faith.  They  have  moved  Me  to  jealousy  with 
that  which  is  not  God;  they  have  provoked  Me  to  anger 
with  their  vanities,  and  I  will  move  them  to  jealousy  with 
those  that  are  not  a  people ;  I  will  provoke  them  to  anger 
with  a  foolish  nation." 

Here  we  read  of  Israel's  apostasy.    The  Rock,  whom  they 
lightly  esteemed,  the  Rock  of  His  salvation,  is  none  other 
than  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.     In  consequence  of  their  un- 
faithfulness and  provoking  God,  the  Lord  would  move  them 
to  jealousy  with  those  which  are  not  a  people.    We  notice 
that  this  announcement  comes  in  afte.   their  apostasy  was 
fully  established.  And  so  it  was  in  its  fulfillment.  When  the 
Lord  Jesus  moved  on  the  earth  and  preached  the  kingdom 
of  the  heavens,  He  did  so  to  His  own  and  there  was  no 
proclamation  to  the  Gentiles.    His  disciples  He  commanded 
not  to  go  in  the  way  of  the  Gentiles,  but  to  go  only  to  the 
lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel.     After  His  resurrection, 
ascension  and  the  pouring  out  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  His  lov- 
ing hand  is  still  outstretched  towards  His   blinded,   erring 
people.     His   mercy   lingered  over  Jerusalem.     The  first 
part  of  the  book  of  Acts  is  evidence  of  it.    Only  after  the 
apostasy  is  fully  manifested  the  instrument  is  called,  the 


!       !i 


39 

Apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  Paul,  to  make  known  the  fact,  "sal- 
vation is  come  by  their  fall  lo  the  Gentiles  to  provoke  them 
to  jealousy." 

In  the  ninth  and  tenth  chapters  of  this  epistle  we  find 
otl.^r  Old  Testament  passages,  which  give  glimpses  of  the 
rejection  of  Israel,  for  a  time  and  the  call  of  the  Gentiles. 
"Even  us,  whom  He  hath  called,  not  of  the  Jews  only,  but 
also  of  the  Gentiles.  As  He  saith  also  in  Osee,  I  will  call 
them  My  people,  which  were  not  My  people,  and  her  be- 
loved, which  was  not  beloved.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass 
that  in  the  place  where  it  was  said  unto  them,  Ye  are  not  My 
people,  there  shall  they  be  called  the  children  of  God"  Hoseai:io; 
(Rom.  ix:25,  26,  compare  with  Hosea  i:io;  ii:23).  "But 
Esaias  is  very  uold  and  saith,  I  was  found  of  them  that 
sought  Me  not ;  I  was  made  manifest  unto  them,  that  asked 
not  after  Me.  But  to  Israel  He  saith.  All  day  long  I  have 
stretched  forth  My  hands  unto  a  disobedient  and  gain- 
saying people"  (Rom.  x:20,  21,  and  Isaiah  lxv:i-2). 

We  are  aware  we  are  stating  that,  which  is  fullv  believed 
by  all  true  believers  who  read  and  study  God's  Word.  It  is 
not  denied  that  after  His  own  rejected  Him,  who  is  God 
manifested  in  the  flesh,  that  He  was  preached  to  the  Gen- 
tiles. By  their  fall  salvation  is  come  to  the  Gentiles,  is 
generally  believed  throughout  Christendom ;  but  what  is  not 
known  and  little  believed  is  thr  fact  that  salvation  is  come 
to  the  Gentiles,  by  their  fall,  in  order  to  provoke  them  to  To  provoke  them 

I  T       1  •      «         «•  to  jealousy. 

jealousy.  In  this  fact  lies  the  argument  that  God  has  not 
cast  away  His  people;  for  if  He  had  cast  Israel  away,  why 
should  He  wish  to  provoke  them  to  jealousy?    The  fact  that 


I 


i  f. 


11 


40 

His  aim  is  to  provoke  His  earthly  people  to  jealousy  by  hav- 
ing extended  salvation  to  the  Gentiles,  they  receiving  bless- 
ings in  Christ,  is  sufficient  evidence  that  He  is  still  occu- 
pied with  His  people. 

Furthermore,  we  read  in  this  chapter  that  the  provoking 

to  jealousy  is  with  the  view  of  the  salvation  of  some  of 

them   (verse  14).     Such  is  the  statement  of  the  Apostle 

To  save  some  of  himself.    How  fully  it  brings  out  once  more  "God  hath  not 

them.  ■'  ° 

cast  away  His  people."  But  has  the  divine  purpose  been 
realized?  Has  there  been  from  the  sides  of  the  Gentiles 
in  possession  of  salvation,  a  provoking  to  jealousy  for  Israel  ? 
Have  the  Jews  learned  from  Christianity  that  the  Gentiles 
are  in  possession  of  the  better  things,  which  they  and  their 
fathers  rejected?  Alas!  History  gives  a  far  different  pic- 
ture, even  up  to  the  present  time.  In  the  first  night  vision 
of  Zechariah*  the  accusation  is  prominent,  "They  (the  Gen- 
tiles) have  helped  forward  their  (Israel's)  affliction."  So  it 
The  sin  of  Gen-  has  been  for  centuries ;  so  it  is  in  the  twentieth  century. 

tiles. 

Instead  of  provoking  the  Jews  to  jealousy,  that  some  of 
•  them  might  be  saved,  the  Gentiles  have  hated  and  bitterly 
persecuted  the  Jews,  and  by  their  unchristian,  yea  inhuman, 
cruel  and  wicked  treatment  of  the  Jews,  the  Jews  instead  of 
being  moved  to  jealousy,  have  become  more  hardened  and 
their  afflictions  have  been  increased.  The  sin  against  Israel 
is  the  sin  of  the  Gentiles,  it  will  be  the  sin  for  which  they 
will  be  judged  by  Him,  who  is  not  only  King  of  kings,  but 
also  the  King  of  the  Jews  (Matt.  xxv:3i ;  Joel  iii:i-3). 


I  ^ 


♦See  our  "Studies  in  Zechariah." 


j  i 


41 

And  yet  it  has  not  been  universally  thus.  In  these  last 
days  especially  many  Christian  believers  have  a  loving  and 
prayerful  interest  in  Israel  and  realize  the  debt  they  owe  to 
the  Jew.  More  prayer  is  made,  we  believe,  for  Israel  and 
for  the  peace  of  Jerusalem,  than  has  been  made  since  the 
days  of  the  Apostles.  And  there  is  no  doubt  that  "some  of 
them"  are  being  saved. 

We  shall  find  with  the  next  verse  the  connection  which 
exists  between  the  fact  that  salvation  came  by  their  fall  to 
the  Gentiles,  and  the  fact  that  a  time  is  coming  when  Israel 
will  be  received ;  the  time  of  their  fullness.  It  is  one  of  the 
strongest  arguments  for  Israel's  Hope  and  calling  which 
follows. 

In  conclusion  of  our  meditation  on  this  verse  let  us  re- 
member that  while  salvation  has  come  to  the  Gentiles  by 
their  fall,  that  salvation  as  it  is  offered  now  is  not  continu- 
ally to  be  offered  to  the  world.  The  acceptable  year  of  the 
Lord,  having  lasted  for  nearly  two  thousand  years,  is  far 
spent,  the  day  of  vengeance  is  at  hand. 


riUiiiii 


CHAPTER  VI. 


THKIK    RKCKPTION — LIFE   FROM   THE   DEAD. 


Ulorifving  His 
ministry. 


W/E  reach  now  a  most  important  climax  in  this  chapter. 
"^  First  the  Holy  Spirit  pointed  us  to  the  Apostle  Paul  as 
a  pattern  of  what  God  in  His  rich  mercy  will  yet  do  for  the 
people,  whom  He  hath  not  cast  away.  Then  we  learned 
thai  IsraeFs  apostasy  is  neither  complete  nor  final,  and  in 
our  last  meditation  the  fact  was  before  us  that  God  per- 
mitted His  people  to  fall,  to  be  set  aside  for  a  time  to  bring, 
by  tlieir  fall,  salvation  to  the  Gentilc^,  with  the  purpose  in 
view  "to  provoke  them  to  jealousy." 

We  are  now  led  on  in  the  wonderful  ways  of  God.  "But 
if  their  fall  be  t!ie  world's  wealth,  and  their  loss  the  wealth 
of  the  nations,  how  much  more  their  fulness  ?  For  I  speak 
to  you,  nations,  inasmuch  as  I  am  Apostle  of  the  nations, 
I  glorify  my  ministry;  if  by  any  means  I  shall  provoke  to 
jealousy  them  which  are  my  flesh,  and  shall  save  some  from 
among  them.  For  if  their  casting  away  be  the  world's 
reconciliation,  what  their  reception,  but  life  from  the  dead?" 
(verses  12-15). 

Let  us  notice  that  the  apostle  here  glorifies  his  ministry 
as  apostle  of  the  nations.  The  whole  epistle  was  addressed 
to  the  Romans,  mostly  believers  from  the  Gentiles,  living  in 
Rome,  later  to  become  the  prison  of  Paul  and  at  last  the 
seat  of  Christianity  in  its  apostate  and  corrupt  form.  But  here 
the  apostle  makes  s*iU  more  prominent  that  his  word   is 

42 


i 


43 

meant  for  those  of  the  nations.  He  says :  "I  speak  to  you 
the  nations."  We  have,  therefore,  before  us  a  message, 
which  is  of  special  value  and  importance  to  Gentiles.  We 
have  learned  before  that  Israel's  disobedience  and  fall 
brought  salvation  to  the  Gentiles. 

Thus  their  fall  was  the  wealth  of  the  world,  their  loss 
the  wealth  of  the  nations  (or  Gentiles)  and  their  casting 
away  the  world's  reconciliation.  But  this  is  not  all.  All 
this  is  far  from  fulfilling  that  gracious  promise  made  to  the 
father  of  the  nation,  Abraham,  when  God  told  him  "in  thy 
seed  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  shall  be  blest."  Israel's  fall, 
the  means  in  God's  purpose  to  bring  salvation  to  the  nations, 
is  not  the  final  thing  and  the  bl  sings  the  nations  received 
by  their  fall  is  not  the  fullest  blessing  which  God  has  in 
store  for  the  nations  of  the  world.  There  is  a  "much 
more"  in  Romans  xi.  In  turning  to  the  fifth  chapter  of 
this  epistle  we  find  the  same  two  significant  words  used  by 
the  way  of  contrast.  There  it  is  the  "much  more"  of  sal- 
vation, "for  if,  when  \\-  were  enemies  we  were  reconciled 
to  God  by  the  death  of  His  Son,  much  more,  being  recon- 
ciled, we  shall  be  saved  by  His  life"  (Rom.  v:io).  Here  it 
is  the  "much  more"  of  dispensational  blessing. 

The  Gospel  is  preached  now  to  the  nations  for  one  great 
purpose.  This  purpose  is  not  the  conversion  of  the  world, 
but  it  is  to  take  out  of  them  a  people  for  His  name.  (Acts 
xv:i4).  This  people  taken  out  or  called  out,  is  the  church 
(ecclesia),  the  body  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  which 
every  true  believer  belongs.  It  is,  like  the  human  body, 
composed  of  so  many  members,  a  number,  known  to  God 


f: 


Much  more. 


i        r 


!  1 

fi 


bUw 


No  world  conrer- 
■lon  now. 


44 

alone.  This  body  will  be  complete  some  day  and  then  the 
preaching  of  the  Gospel  of  grace  must  of  necessity  cease, 
and  the  offer  of  salvation  in  its  present  form  and  under 
present  conditions  as  made  to  the  nations,  will  come  to  an 
end.  2 

It  is  r.ll  wrong  to  speak  of  worl '  conversion  in  this  age, 
in  which  the  body  of  th    Lore!  jf     .    Christ    is    forming. 
There  is  absolutely  not  a  single  pron)ise  in  the  Gospels,  nor 
in  the  epistles,  nor  in  any  part  of  the  New  Testament  which 
assures  us  of  world  conversion,  or  gives  us  a  right  to  pray 
for,  or  expect  me  conversion  of  the  world  by  present  agen- 
cies through  the  rhurch.    The  world  will  be  converted.  Na- 
tions will  walic  in  the  light  of  God,  and  the  knowledge  of  the 
glory  of  the  Lord  will  cover  the  earth  as  the  waters  cover 
the  sea,  the  curse  of  sin  will  be  removed,  nations  will  learn 
war  no  more,  righteousness  and  peace  shall  kiss  each  other ; 
all  this  and  scores  of  other  blessings  will  literally  come  to 
pass.    But  all  these  promises  and  predictions  about  subdued 
nations  and  a  kingdom  of  peace  extending  from  sea  to  sea 
are  found  exclusively  in  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures  and 
not  in  the  New. 

It  is  a  sad  fact  that  Christendom  has  fearfully  erred  in 
the  interpretation  ol  these  predictions  and  turned  the  time 
and  manner  of  their  fulfillment  upside  down.  In  this 
•ource  of  confu-  awful  error  lies  the  cause  of  all  the  present  day  confusion 
and  apostasy  of  the  professing  church.  Israel,  which  is  so 
prominently  on  the  pages  of  the  Old  Testament  in  connection 
with  these  great  blessings,  has  been  interpreted  to  mean 
"the  church."     The  time  in  which  the  blessings  arc  to  be 


niOB. 


ik 


45 

realized,  to  be  the  age  now,  instead  of  the  age  which  is  to 
come.  The  declarations  of  the  Lord  about  this  age  and  its 
ending,  like  the  days  of  Noah  and  Lot,  have  been  completely 
ignored,  and  the  same  has  been  done  with  the  God-breathed 
statements  of  the  apostles  in  the  epistles.  Nearly  the  whole 
of  Christendom  attends  to  Israel's  earthly  calling  and,  at- 
tempting to  do  a  work  which  God  never  means  to  have 
done  in  this  age,  fails  most  shamefully  in  it.  As  one  has 
said,  "The  spiritualizing  of  Israel's  promises  has  been  the 
carnalizing  of  the  church." 

If  we  turn  to  the  Old  Testament  we  find,  as  we  have 
shown  in  our  "Harmony  of  the  Prophetic  Word,'  every- 
thing revealed  in  perfect  order.  The  last  event  seen  in  Old 
Testament  prophecy  is  always  the  kingdom  come,  the  na- 
tions blest  and  under  the  rule  of  Jehovah;  peace  on  earth 
and  the  deliverance  of  groaning  creation. 

This  great  and  last  event  of  Old  Testament  prophecy,  a 
subdued  earth  ruled  over  by  the  King  of  Righteousness  and 
Peace,  is  preceded  by  the  judgments  of  God  executed  in 
the  earth  and  above  all  by  the  spiritual  an  '.  national  resto- 
ration of  His  ancient  people,  Israel.  The  fullest  blessing 
for  nations  and  for  the  earth  is  altogether  conditioned  by 
Israel,  as  head  of  the  nations,  come  into  her  God-given 
inheritance.  Israel  converted  and  restored  will  result  in  the 
conversion  of  the  nations  of  the  earth.  But  Israel's  conver- 
sion and  restoration  to  the  land  will  not  be  till  the  second 
coming  of  the  Son  of  Man,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in  great 
power  and  glory.  Everywhere  in  the  Old  Testament 
we  find  the  Lord  in  Gloiy  and  with  His  majesty  visibly  re- 


I 


J   «  I 


■  : 


Thr  order  of 
uveiits. 


46 

vcakd  first  of  all,  and  by  His  personal,  visible  and  glurious 
manifestation.  His  earthly  people  is  delivered  and  Jerusalem 
restfjred.  We  have,  then,  three  great  events  in  Old  Testa- 
ment prophecy,  still  future : 

1.  The  personal,  visible  and  glorious  manifestation  of  tlie 
Lord  from  heaven.    This  Lord  is  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

2.  The  conversion  and  national  restoration  of  Israel. 

3.  The  result  of  Israel's  conversion  and  restoration,  na- 
tions blest  and  going  to  Jerusalem  to  worship  the  Loril  of 
Hosts,  etc. 

This  order  cannot  be  reversed.  It  is  the  divine  program, 
if  we  were  to  prove  the  above  statements  we  could  go 
through  every  prophetic  book  of  the  Old  Testament  and  to 
the  Psalms  and  point  out  hundreds  of  passages,  where  this 
is  clearly  taught.  Read,  as  striking  proofs,  Zcchariah 
ii  :6-i3 ;  Isaiah  lix  :2o-2i,  and  read  the  Ix  chapter. 

"The  gifts  and  calling  of  God  are  without  repei.tancc, ' 
we  read  later  in  our  chapter.  He  has  undertaken  to  bless 
nations  and  the  earth  through  Israel,  His  earthly  people. 
When  Israel  failed  and  was  disobedient,  He  had  another 
gracious  way  to  reveal,  salvation  came  to  the  Gentiles,  *o 
take  out  a  people  for  His  name.  This  is  the  work  in  the 
present  age  and  that  is  a  parenthesis.  As  soon  as  this  is 
accomplished  He  resumes  His  work  with  Israel. 

And  now  we  are  able  to  understand  the  "much  more" 
of  dispensational  truth. 

Israel  is  promised  in  the  Old  Testament  Scrip- 
tures a  fulness  and  a  time  when  they  shall  be 
received.     This   fulness   comes  when  the   Lord  comes   in 


47 


power  and  plory  as  the  King.  Now,  if  God  brought  bles- 
sing to  the  nations  by  their  fall,  how  much  more  will  He 
I.less  the-  nations  when  their  fuhv-  comes.  Through  their  ur.si',r  .,„.«, 
fulness  the  whole  world  will  receive  the  fullest  blessing, 
blessings  minutely  given  in  the  OUl  Testament  and  liter- 
allv  to  be  fulfilled. 

Hut  there  is  a  phrase  in  the  passage  before  us  which 
claims  our  special  attention.    "Their  reception  shall  be  life 
from  the  dead."     What  does  it  mean,  "Hfe  from  the  dead?" 
It  is  strange  that  this  phrase  should  be  interpreted  as  m^an- 
iii-  :.  physical  resurrection.    Upon  this  passage,  the  pa 
•aH    Israel   shall   be  save  J,"   and  a   few   others,   has   been 
found    llie  evil   doctrine,   unscnptural   throughout,   that  all 
Jews  who  have  lived  will  be  raised  from  the  dead,  saved  and 
unsaved,  and  they  all  will  be  brought  back  to  the  land  to 
enjoy  the  blessings  of  the  millennial  kingdom.    It  is  a  larger 
Jewish  Mope— a  Jewish  restitution  of  all  things  and  conse- 
(luently  tiiose  who  hold  this  evil  doctrine  are  forced  to  be-  wnmK  t-achinK 
lieve  also  in  a  restitution  of  all  things  for  Gentiles.    When 
we  reach  the  fact  that  "all  Israel  shall  be  saved"  we  expect 
to  follow  this  more  fully. 

Physical  resurrection  is  here  not  at  all  in  view .  Nor  is  it 
in  many  passages  in  the  Old  Testament,  where  physical  res- 
urrection is  simply  used  as  a  type  of  a  great  change.  It  is  so 
in  the  New  Testament.  Of  the  prodigal  it  is  said  "for  this 
my  son  was  dead  and  is  come  to  life."  These  literalists  would 
never  clami  that  he  was  physically  dead.  The  vision  of  the 
valley  full  of  dry  bones  is  generally  applied  by  these  people 
who  teach  a  restitution  by  resurrection.     But  the  vision  is 


I 


i 


Ii  it  physical 
reaurrectioD  T 


48 

a  vision  to  describe  vividly  the  national  resurrection  of  Is- 
rael and  not  a  physical  one.  The  dry  bones  are  the  whole 
house  of  Israel  (Ez.  xxxvii:i2) ;  but  are  these  dry  bones 
literally  dry  bones  or  are  they  used  to  typify  Israel's  death 
spiritually  and  nationally?  If  they  are  literally  dry  bones 
how  could  they  say :  "Our  bones  are  dried  and  our  hope  is 
lost;  we  are  cut  off  for  our  parts"?  Surely,  literal  dry 
bones  have  no  mouth  to  speak.  If  we  read  that  they  are 
in  graves  and  the  Lord  will  open  their  graves,  it  means  that 
He  is  bringing  His  people  back  from  their  graves  among 
the  nations,  where  they  are  buried  nationally.  Numerous 
other  passages  could  be  cited  in  which  physical  resurrection 
is  used  to  typify  the  spiritual  and  national  revival  of  Israel. 

"Life  from  the  dead"  does  not  mean  a  literal  resurrection. 
It  has  a  double  meaning.  First  it  means  when  their  recep- 
tion comes  it  will  be  for  them,  spiritually  and  nationally, 
life;  they  will  live  again  spiritually  and  as  a  nation. 

In  the  second  place  the  term  means  that  the  result  of 
Israel's  reception,  coming  into  the  place  of  blessing,  will  be 
for  the  world  at  large  "life  from  the  dead."  This  is  identi- 
cal with  the  term,  which  the  Lord  uses  in  Matthew  xix  :28, 
"the  regeneration,"  it  will  be  a  great  change  which  takes 
place,  in  resurrection  power. 

There  is  one  book  which  illustrates  very  strongly  the  pas- 
sage before  us.  It  is  the  book  so  much  belittled  and  ridi- 
culed in  our  day,  the  Book  of  Jonah. 

Our  Lord  said  to  the  Pharisees,  who  demanded  a  sign 
from  Him  that  no  sign  would  be  given  them  but  the  sign  of 
the  prophet  Jonas.     (Matt.  xii:38.)     He  then  spoke  of 


49 

His  coming  resurrection  foreshadowed  by  Jonah's  experi- 
ence. No  doubt  the  proud  and  learned  Pharisees  turned 
away  from  Him ;  and  with  a  smile  the  rationalistic  Sadducee 
may  have  said,  "What  nonsense,  Jonah  never  lived,  it  is 
all  a  myth,  there  is  no  resurrection,"  etc.  Oh,  the  adulter- 
ous generation!  Modern  Phariseeism  and  Sadduceeism, 
Higher  Critics,  etc.,  are  likewise  an  adulterous  gener- 
ation. They  tell  us  what  a  beautiful  book  the  book  oi  Jonah 
is,  what  sublime  lessons  it  teaches.  But  did  Jonah  ever 
live?  Of  course  not,  they  say — he  never  lived,  his  life  is 
a  myth— how  could  a  fish  swallow  a  man?  etc.  Awful 
consequences!  Jesus  uses  the  deliverance  of  Jonah  as  a 
type  of  His  blessed  resurrection,  the  foundation  of  our 
holy  faith.  If  Jesus  did  not  know  that  Jonah  ever  lived, 
if  He  used  a  mytii  to  typify  His  resurrection,— well,  then, 
His  resurrection  may  not  have  been  a  real  one,  and  how 
could  He  be  the  Son  of  God  ? 

Jonah's  life  is  in  different  respects  typical  of  Christ,  but  it 
has  still  another  meaning  which  makes  known  the  divine  wis- 
dom and  inspiration.  The  life  of  nearly  every  servant  of  God 
in  the  Old  Testament  has  a  twofold  typical  application— 
the  one,  Christ,  the  Messiah,  and  the  other,  Israel,  the 
chosen  people  of  God.  Follow  out  this  thought  and  apply 
it  to  Joseph,  David,  Daniel,  the  prophets,  etc.  Jonah  is  a 
type  of  Israel.  The  whole  history  of  the  seed  of  Abraham, 
past,  present,  and  future,  is  contained  in  a  nutshell  in  that 
book. 

I.     Jonah's  call.     He  is  sent  by  Jehovah  to  preach  to  lu^typicai  mean- 
Nineveh.     He  knows  God  while  Nineveh  is  in  darkness. 


The  story  of 
.Tonah. 


m'MI 


md 


il'     1  ■ 


I 


t  ^  '! 


50 

So  God  prepared  Himself  Israel  a  nation  to  show  forth 
His  praises.  Salvation  is  of  the  Jews.  Through  them  He 
desires  to  make  known  His  loving  kindness  and  His  re- 
demption. In  the  seed  of  Abraham  all  the  nations  of  the 
earth  are  to  receive  blessing.  These  are  God's  gifts  and 
calling.    They  are  without  repentance  (Rom.  xi:29). 

2.  Jonah  is  disobedient.  He  turns  his  back  upon  God 
and  flees  from  His  face.  He  goes  on  boa /a  of  a  merchant- 
man. He  goes  in  the  opposite  direction.  Sf^  Israel  became 
an  apostate  people,  and  the  Jew  turns  merchant.  Forsook 
God  and  lightly  esteemed  the  rock  of  his  salvation.  Like 
Jonah,  disobedient  to  the  heavenly  vision,  instead  of  being 
a  blessing  becoming  a  curse  among  the  nations. 

3.  Trouble  soon  comes  upon  Jonah,  the  disobedient  ser- 
vant of  God.  The  storm  of  disaster  tosses  his  ship  upon  the 
wild  waves  of  the  angry  sea.  Everything  is  against  him 
because  he  rebelled  against  God.  Thus  with  the  Jews. 
Misfortune  after  misfortune,  storm  after  storm  has  broken 
over  them  since  they  rejected  God  and  their  King  Messiah. 
They  are  tossed  about  by  the  nations.  The  sea  always 
represents  nations  in  the  Word. 

4.  Jonah  does  not  deny  his  God  and  his  nationality.  He 
said,  "I  am  a  Hebrew  and  I  fear  the  Lord,  the  God  of 
heaven,  which  has  made  the  sea  and  the  dry  land."  So  the 
Jew  in  his  apostasy  still  professes  to  be  a  believer  in  God, 
fears  His  name  and  does  not  deny  that  he  is  a  Jew. 

5.  Jonah  is  cast  overboard.  He  is  given  up  to  the 
angry  waves.  He  is  seen  struggling  in  the  waves.  Typical 
of  the  Jew  being  cast  away,  though  not  forever. 


51 


6.  The  men  in  Jonah's  ship  when  they  saw  that  as  soon 
as  Jonah  was  in  the  water  the  waters  calmed  down,  these 
men,  who  were  all  heathen,  feared  the  Lord  exceedingly, 
and  offered  a  sacrifice  unto  the  Lord  and  made  vows.  What 
a  wonderful  illustration  of  the  very  statement  in  this  epistle : 
"By  their  fall  salvation  has  come  to  the  Gentiles."  The 
Gentiles  have  received  salvation  when  the  Jew  was  set 
aside  nationally. 

7.  Jonah  is  miraculously  preserved  in  the  belly  of  a 
sea  monster.  (There  is  nothing  in  the  Hebrew  to  show  that 
it  was  a  whale.)  He  is  to  have  his  abode  there  for  three 
days  and  three  nights.  He  does  not  lose  his  life  and  exis« 
tence,  but  he  is  put  into  a  grave  and  is  there  wo,  derfuUy 
preserved.  The  Jew  is  likewise  in  his  grave  among  the 
nations,  natic-i  '-iad,  but  still  God  keeps  the  Jew  as  He 
did  Jonah.  .  e  ,v  is  God's  standing  miracle.  No  infidel 
can  explain  a'    .,  .'le  Jew  and  his  miraculous  existence. 

8.  Jonah  was  not  digested  by  the  fish.  He  remained  there 
undigested.  The  nations  have  not  digested  the  Jews.  This 
people  shall  dwell  alone  and  not  be  reckoned  among  the 
natio.is.    The  Jew  is  still  a  Jew.    Assimilation  has  failed. 

9.  Jonah  at  the  end  of  the  appointed  time  commenced  to 
repent  in  his  grave.  He  cried  to  God.  He  wished  himself 
back  to  His  holy  temple,  a:  '  he  finished  his  prayer  with  the 
believing  shout,  "Salvation  is  of  the  Lord."  The  Jews  will 
also  repent.  There  are  unmistakable  signs  of  a  changed 
attitude  of  the  Jew  noticeable.  Still,  before  that  great 
national  repentance  comes,  there  will  be  likewise  first  a 
great  tribulation.     Like  Jonah  many  are  to-day  desiring 


I't 


5» 


I 


for  His  holy  temple,  and  they  are  getting  ready  to  return 
to  the  land.  At  last  they  will  acknowledge  that  salvation 
is  of  the  Lord,  and  welcome  their  King  with  the  shout 
"Blessed  is  He  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord." 

ID.  God  made  the  fish  vomit  out  Jonah.  He  that 
scattered  Israel  will  jather  them  again.  They  will  be 
brought  back  to  the  iand  and  restored.  They  will  build  the 
waste  places,  the  desolations  of  many  generations.  The 
Word  of  God  has  hundreds  of  promises  which  belong  to 
literal  Israel  and  speak  of  a  literal  restoration.  If  we 
do  not  believe  that,  we  might  as  well  cloi^e  the  Bible  and 
become  Higher  Critics,  unbelievers,  etc. 

11.  Jonah  is  sent  the  second  time,  and  he  follows  the 
command.  So  Israel  is  yet  to  fulfill  its  grandest  mission. 
Their  King,  our  coming  Lord,  will  comnission  them  again 
and  send  them  forth  to  proclaim  His  salvation.  Israel 
will  then  follow  obediently. 

12.  The  whole  city  of  Nineveh  repented  after  hearing 
the  apostate,  the  punished,  and  the  restored  Jew  preach. 
A  whole  city  was  swept  by  a  revival.  The  masses  were 
saved.  Now  is  the  time  for  the  salvation  of  individuals. 
There  is  no  such  thing  at  this  present  time  as  saving  the 
masses  or  converting  the  world.  The  masses  will  be  saved 
and  the  world  converted  through  the  preaching  of  the  Jews 
when  they  are  converted  and  restored  in  the  land  and  Jesus 
is  crowned  as  their  King  and  sits  upon  the  throne  of  His 
Father  David. 

This  then  illustrates,  at  least  in  part  and  in  a  faint  way, 
what  their  reception  is  and  means,  "Life  from  the  dead." 


CHAPTER  VII. 


THE  PARABLE  OF  THE  OLIVE  TREE. 

TN  the  next  place  a  parable  is  given  to  declare  Israel's  posi- 
*  tion  and  hope  as  well  as  the  relationship  and  responsibil- 
ity of  the  Gentiles.  In  this  portion  of  our  chapter  we  find 
some  very  solemn  truths  for  Gentiles,  and,  indeed,  as  we  ad- 
vance towards  the  end  of  this  great  dispensational  chapter, 
the  Hope  of  Israel  shines  brighter  till  we  reach  the  declara- 
ton,  that  the  Redeemer  shall  come  out  of  Sion  to  turn  away 
ungodliness  from  Jacob, 

"Now,  if  the  first  fruits  be  holy,  the  lump  also;  and  if  The parabu. 
the  root  be  holy,  the  branches  also.  Now  if  some  of  the 
branches  have  been  broken  out,  and  thou,  being  a  wild  olive 
tree,  hast  been  graflfed  in  amongst  them,  and  hast  become 
a  fellow  partaker  of  the  root  and  fatness  of  the  olive  tree, 
boast  not  against  the  branches;  but  if  thou  beast,  it  is  not 
that  thou  barest  the  root,  but  the  root  thee.  Thou  wilt  say, 
The  branches  have  been  broken  out  in  order  that  I  might  be 
graflfed  in.  Right:  they  have  been  broken  out  through  un- 
belief, and  thou  standest  through  faith.  Be  not  highminded, 
but  fear ;  if  God  indeed  has  not  spared  the  natural  branches ; 
lest  it  might  be  He  spare  not  thee.  Behold  then  the  good- 
ness and  severity  of  God :  upon  them  who  have  fallen,  sever- 
ity, upon  thee,  goodness  of  God,  if  thou  abide  in  goodness, 
otherwise  thou  also  wilt  be  cut  away.  And  they,  too,  if  they 
abide  not  in  unbelief,  shall  be  graflFed  in ;  for  God  is  able  to 


''\ 


54 


I  i  ^ 


graff  them  in  again.  For  if  thou  hast  been  cut  out  of  the 
olive  tree,  wild  by  nature,  and,  contrary  to  nature,  hast  been 
graffed  into  the  good  olive  tree,  how  much  more  shall  those, 
which  are  the  natural  branches  be  graffed  into  their  own 
olive  tree?"  (verses  16-24). 

The  parable  is  concerning  a  good  and  a  wild  olive  tree, 
branches  which  were  broken  off  and  branches  wh'ch  were 
graffed  in  and  branches  which  are  threatened  with  being  cut 
away,  and  the  broken  off  ones  to  be  graffed  in  again.  Ex- 
hortations and  solemn  warnings  are  by  this  parable  given 
and  important  dispensational  teachings  cluster  around  it. 

Before  we  ascertain  the  meaning  of  the  olive  tree,  we 
briefly  touch  on  the  sentence  "now,  if  the  firstfruit  be  holy. 
The  flrrtfruit.  the  lump  also."  The  firstfruit  does  not  mean  anything  out- 
side of  Israel.  Some  Christians  in  these  days  talk  about 
firstfruit,  as  if  in  the  body  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the 
church,  there  is  a  select  number,  which  through  selfdenial, 
service  and  suffering  obtains  a  special  place  and  enters  into 
the  God-given  inheritance  first.  When  we  read  in  Romans 
viii  of  having  the  firstfruits  of  the  Spirit,  it  applies  to  all 
true  believers.  In  James  i  :i8,  "that  we  should  be  a  certain 
firstfruits  of  his  creatures,"  it  refers  to  Christian  believers, 
who  were  Israelites  by  nature,  and  in  Revel,  xiv:4,  "those 
who  have  been  bought  from  men  as  firstfruits  to  God  and 
to  the  Lamb,"  it  does  not  mean  a  part  of  the  church,  but  the 
Jewish  remnant. 

Here  in  Romans  xi  for  the  fuller  understanding  of  the 
firstfruit,  which  is  holy,  and  the  lump,  Num.  xv:  19-21  and 
Leviticus  xxiii:i5-i7  have  to  be  taken  into  consideration. 


55 

We  cannot  follow  this  in  detail,  but  rather  turn  to  the  main 
argument  of  the  passage  before  us.  The  good  olive  tree  "^g^JSve'tros! 
with  a  root  and  branches  is  to  be  considered  first.  What 
(Uies  this  olive  tree  represent?  It  is  a  type  of  Israel.  God 
hath  chosen  trees  as  types  of  His  earthly  people,  because 
trees  are  rooted  in  the  earth  and  extend  their  branches  up- 
ward towards  heaven  and  they  yield  ^ruit.  for  which  He 
looks  in  His  professing  people.  Jothai..  s  parable  in  Judges 
ix:7-i5  has  a  dispensational  aspect.  The  trees  mentioned 
called  to  be  king  over  the  other  trees  are  types  of  Israel 
and  the  bramble  is  typical  of  the  Gentiles.  The  olive  tree, 
the  figtrce  and  the  vine,  spoken  of  for  the  first  time  together 
in  the  above  passage,  are  seen  in  different  parts  of  the 
Scripture  as  representing  Israel.  The  vineyard  so  carefully 
kept,  in  Isaiah  v,  and  the  vine  yielding  wild  grapes,  applies  to 
this  people.  "Thou  hast  brought  a  vine  out  of  Egypt ;  thou 
hast  cast  out  the  nations,  and  planted  it.  .  .  Why  hast  thou 
broken  down  her  hedges,  so  that  all  which  pass  by  the  way 
do  pluck  her?  The  boar  out  of  the  wood  doth  waste  it,  and 
the  wild  beast  of  the  field  doth  devour  it"  (Psalm  lxxx:8- 
14).  "Yet  I  planted  thee  a  noble  vine,  wholly  a  right  seed; 
how  then  art  thou  turned  into  the  degenerate  plant  of  a 
strange  vine  unto  me?"  (Jerem.  ii:2T). 

Of  the  figtree  as  a  type  of  Israel,  we  read  in  the  New  Tes- 
triment.  The  parable  in  Luke  xiii:7-9  meant  primarily 
Tsrnel.  The  Lord  came  and  sought  fruit  for  three  years. 
When  no  fruit  was  found  the  judgment  sentence  was  car- 
ried out.  it  was  cut  down,  but  the  root  remained.  In  Mat- 
thew xxi:T9  there  is  the  record  of  a  symbolical  action  >  . 


m 


Ps  .  Izxz  :  8. 


Jerem.  ii  :21. 


Matth.  xzi :  10 


ill 


.yj 


56 

the  Lord.  "And  when  He  saw  a  figtree  in  the  way,  He  came 
to  it,  and  found  nothing  thereon,  but  leaves  only,  and  said 
unto  it,  Let  no  fruit  grow  on  thee  henceforward  forever. 
And  presently  the  figtree  withered  away."  And  the  wither- 
ing away,  the  tree  becoming  dead  in  its  outward  appearance, 
stands  for  the  cutting  off  of  the  nation  during  this  age. 

Theflgtree.  But  again  the  Lord  said  "Now  learn  a  parable  of  the  fig- 

tree  ;  when  his  branch  is  yet  tender,  and  putteth  forth  leaves, 
ye  know  that  the  summer  is  nigh"  (Matt.  xxiv:32).  The 
figtree  will  bud  again.  The  olive  tree  is  not  only  mentioned 
here,  but  we  read  of  it  in  Jeremiah  xi:i6:  "The  Lord  called 
thy  name  a  green  olive  tree,  fair,  and  of  goodly  fruit :  with 
the  noise  of  a  great  tumult  he  hath  kindled  fire  upon  it,  and 
the  branches  of  it  have  broken."    The  olive  tree  typifies 

Eyenjreen.  Israel  in  covenant  relation  with  God.    The  olive  tree  stands 

for  the  Abrahamic  covenant.  The  olive  tree  is  evergreen. 
And  so  that  covenant  is  lasting  and  forever,  and  changes 
not  by  changing  seasons.  Israel's  disobedience  and  faith- 
lessness does  not  annul  it. 

A  root  is  mentioned  and  that  root  is  said  to  be  holy  (sep- 

Theroot.  arated).    The  root  is  the  one  with  whom,  the  covenant  was 

Tiade,  Abraham.  But  not  alone  he,  but  the  root  has  three 
branches,  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob;  the  promise  is  re- 
peated to  each.  In  Exodus  iii:i5  we  read  how  God  names 
Himself  in  connection  with  the  children  of  Israel.  "Thus 
shalt  thou  say  unto  the  children  of  Israel,  The  Lord  God  of 
your  fathers,  the  God  of  Abraham,  the  God  of  Isaac  and  the 
God  of  Jacob,  hath  sent  me  unto  you ;  this  is  my  name  for- 
ever, and  this  is  my  memorial  unto  all  generations."    Why 


57 

should  He  name  Himself  thus  ?  Because  in  this  root,  Ab- 
raham, Isaac  and  Jacob  He  hath  revealed  Himself  in  type 
as  Father  in  Abraham,  as  <  rod  the  Son  in  Isaac,  and  in  over- 
coming the  tiesli  and  in  guidance,  as  God  the  Holy  Spirit 
in  Jacob.  And  this  root  is  holy,  separated;  so  are  the 
branches,  that  which  springs  out  of  the  root.  God's  purpose 
with  Israel  is,  to  have  in  them  a  separated,  holy  people.  The 
root  vouches  for  the  final  outcome.  As  wonderful  as  the 
beginning  of  that  people  has  been  in  that  separated  Unc,  so 
wonderful,  even  more  so,  is  their  future. 
On  account  of  unbelief  some  of  the  branches  were  broken  Broken  oft 

.   ,  ,  .^,  branches. 

off.    They  lay  on  the  ground,  separated  from  the  root,  with- 
out Ufe. 

A  wild  olive  tree  is  seen  next  in  the  parable  and  the  wild 
olive  tree  is  grafted  in  amongst  the  branches  and  becomes 
a  fellow  partaker  of  the  root  and  of  the  fatness  of  the  olive 
tree.    In  the  wild  olive  tree  we  have  a  picture  of  the  Gen- 
tiles.   It  is,  however,  of  the  greatest   importance   that   we 
see  that  it  is  not  the  true  church,  which  is  represented  by  the 
wild  olive  tree.    This  is  often  erroneously  stated.   Later  we 
find  the  threat,  and  more  than  a  threat,  the  fact  that  the  wild  ^^^  wiidouve 
olive  tree  branches  are  to  be  cut  away,  broken  off,  removed 
from  the  root,  upon  which  they  were  graffed.     This  can 
never  be  true  of  the  individual  member  of  the  body  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  nor  of  the  true  church  as  a  whole.    It  is 
true  that  all  believers  are  fellow  partakers  of  the  olive  tree, 
and  they  stand  by  faith.    "Now,  therefore,  ye  are  no  more 
strangers  and  foreigners,  but  fellow  citizens  with  the  saints 
and  of  the  hoijsehold  of  God ;  and  are  built  upon  the  foun- 


tree. 


IILI 


■'ir 

if. 


■''!   •.• 


taawri 


i  .' 


58 


dation  of  the  apostles  and  prophets,  Jesus  Christ  Himself 
being  the  chief  cornerstone"  (Eph.  ii:i9-2o).  The  great 
mystery  revealed  is,  "that  the  Gentiles  should  be  fellowheirs, 
and  of  the  same  body,  and  partakers  of  His  promise  in 
Clirist  by  the  Gospel.*'  But  to  say  that  the  wild  olive  tree 
ref)rcsents  the  true  church  graffed  in.  would  be  far  from  the 
^I'churoh  "***  tr^th.  Gentiles  are  represented  by  it,  all  who  arc  privil- 
eged to  hear  and  be  under  the  influence  of  that  which  is 
first  of  all  Israel's.  When  the  branches,  the  natural  branches, 
were  broken  off.  God  put  the  Gentiles  upon  the  ground  of 
responsibility,  where  Israel  as  a  nation  stood,  and  gives 
the  Gentiles  a  chance  and  allows  them  to  partake  of  the  root 
and  fatness  of  the  olive  tree.  The  natural  branches  are 
Israel  and  the  branches  graflfed  in  contrary  to  nature  are  all 
Gentiles,  who  are  in  professing  Christendom.  The  wild 
olive  tree  represents  the  same  "kingdom  of  heaven"  as  seen 
in  its  mystery  form  in  the  Gospel  of  Matthew  in  the  seven 
parables  (chapter  xiii).  As  we  he  i  this  clearly  in  our 
mind,  the  meaning  of  all  that  is  before  us  becomes  very 
plain. 

The  wild  olive  tree,  or  as  we  may  say  just  as  well,  Christ- 
endom, is  now  solemnly  addressed  and  warned  in  this  par- 
able.   It  is  still,  "I  speak  to  you,  Gentiles." 

First,  there  is  the  warning,  "Boast  not  against  the 
branches."  Then  an  answer  is  heard  from  the  side  of  the 
wild  olive  tree.  "Thou  wilt  say  then.  The  branches  have 
been  broken  out  in  order  that  I  might  be  graflFed  in."  To 
which  the  Holy  Spirit  answers:  "Right!  They  have  been 
broken   ofT  through   unbelief,   and  thou  standest  through 


I  ipeak  to  yoH, 
QenUleB ! 


59 


faith.     Be  not  highminded,  but  fear;  if  God  indeed  has  not 
spared  the  natural  branches;  lest  it  might  be,  He  spare  not 

thee  either." 

This  is  a  most  striking  and  solemn  warning  as  well  as  a  solemn  w«niiii». 
prophecy.    Wc  remember  once  more,  that  the  epistle  was 
sent  to  Rome  and  that  from  Rome  proceeded  later  all  the  cor- 
ruption, that  leaven,  which  leaveneth  the  whole  lump.     If 
the  warning  here  had  been  heeded,  Christendom,  with  its 
evil  doctrines  and  practices,  its  highmindedness,  unbelief, 
apostasy  and  corruption  would  have  been  an  impossibility. 
But  just  that  against  which  the  Holy  Spirit  warns  has  come 
to  pass.    The  Gentiles,  having  partaken  of  the  covenant  bles- 
sings of  Israel,  declare  with  a  boasting  spirit,  "The  branches 
were  broken  off  that  1  might  be  graffed  in,"  and  boast 
against  the  branches.    Instead  of  entering  into  God's  re- 
vealed purposes  concerning  the  Jews,  the  Gentiles  and  the 
church  of  God,  Christendom  ignores  them,  and  in  a  spirit  of 
highmindedness  and  not  fear,  in  unbelief,  boasts  of  being  an  BoMting. 
earthly  and  permanent  institution,  called  to  convert  and 
civilize  the  world.    Here  is  the  root  of  all  the  confusion  in 
Roman,  Greek  and  Protestant  Christendom,  with  its  almost 
innumerable  divisions.    Christendom  having  forgotten,  ig- 
noring or  misunderstanding  God's  purposes  concerning  Is-  * 
rael,  has  become  a  boastmg,  worldly  orgaiiization,  calling 
itself  "Israel"  and  Lying  claim  to  promises  which  are  Israel's 
in  the  age  to  come.    Then  the  Gentiles  have  turned  against 
tbe  Jews ;  having  no  faith  that  they  are  "still  beloved  for  the 
Father's  sake," and  that  God"hath  not  cast  away  His  people." 
They  have  persecuted  them  and  do  so  to  the  end  of  this  age. 


w 


.10 


* 


MBH 


J||. 


L««dlCMl. 


Oiit  «fr. 


And  this  boasting  of  the  wild  oliv.  trc^  is  u  n  in  i^s  com- 
pleteness in  the  last  part  of  the  i.v  mil  divisioti  of  the  book 
of  Revelation,  in  the  third  chapter.  There  we  tia-  e  the  last 
phase,  and  the  saddest  one  of  professing  Christendom,  La- 
odicea.  It  is  boasting  in  riches,  increase  of  goods.  Laodi- 
cea  boasts  of  increase  in  in.stitutions,  millions  to  extend  edu- 
cational work  and  philanthropic  schemes  to  convert  the 
world,  but  it  is  the  usuri)ation  of  Israel's  plac^  and  calling. 

The  warning  is,  of  course,  unheedeo,  God  did  not  spare 
the  natural  branches,  He  will  not  spare  fhe  branches  which 
were  graffed  in.  And  stronger  still.  He  says:  "Behold, 
then,  tlie  goodne.ss  and  severity  of  God  ;  upon  them  who  have 
fallen,  severity;  upon  thee,  goodness  of  God,  if  thou  shalt 
abide  in  goodness,  otherwise  thou  shalt  also  be  cut  of!." 
How  solemn  these  words  are!  Did  Gentile  Christendom 
abide  in  the  goodness  of  God?  Far  from  it!  It  has  dis- 
honored Him  and  His  Word  and  has  made  and  is  making  a 
greater  failure  than  the  Jews  did.  The  unbelief  manifested 
especially  in  our  day,  in  Christendom,  is  indeed  greater  than 
the  unbelief  of  Israel  ever  was. 

"Thou  also  shalt  be  cut  off."  Tiiis  is  the  sentence  wliich 
will  be  executed  upon  the  wild  olive  tree.  It  corresponds 
with  the  word  to  Laodicea:  "So,  thci  because  thou  art 
lukewarm,  and  n  ither  cold  nor  hot,  I  will  spew  thee  out  of 
my  mouth."  And  this  judgment  is  not  ve  ,  far  away.  iTie 
apostasy  is  developing  rapidly  anrl  God  will  not  permit  for- 
ever His  Holy  Word  to  be  trampled  upon  by  Gentiles  ant 
He  will  not  stand  the  ever  increasing  rejectior  of  the  Sor 
of  His  love  and  the  denial  of  His  Deity  and  Lordship  from 


I 


ir 


6l 

the  sidrs  of  rhc  wild  olive  tree.  "Thou  al^o  shalt  be  cut  of! !" 
How  soon  this  may  come  to  pass!  The  tnie  c\  rch,  com- 
posed of  all  l>eliever-  wti  be  taken  in  glo  and  «'  en 
there  remains  that  winch  boasts  and  is  highm.nded  nd 
upon  this  profes    np  ChriM  -ndoni  the  judgment  will  fall 

But  this  is  no  all.  \V>  -^^ach  a  climax  now  in  this  won- 
lerful  .arable.  And  they,  too,  it  they  abide  not  in  unbelief, 
shall  be  gratfc<l  in;  for  God  is  able  again  to  graflE  them  in.  oraffed m ««•!•. 
For  if  thou  hast  h-  -n  cut  oui  ui  the  olive  tree,  wild  by  na- 
ture, and  contrary  to  nature.  Hast  beet  graff-  d  into  the  g  '•d 
olive  tree,  how  much  more  shall  the} ,  whiva  are  the  natu- 
ral b  anches    be  graflPed  nuo  their  ov  n  olive  '^ree." 

From  ihis  we  learn  two  facts.     T   -  fir?'     act,  Grni  will 
graff  ti  ese  broken  ott  bran,  les  in  again;  iie  will  pr    them 
back  uTx^n  tlteir  own    \ivt  tree.    And  ti  is  fact  brings  us   fack 
to  the  quesnon.   'Hath    K><i    ast  awav  His  people  "    ?    "el 
He  has  not      Tlie  oi       tre     the  cowmant  promises  i 
rael  is  as  green  as  rl       li-.      ree;  all  that  happe        is  t^^* 
he  branches,  on  a*:count        t  nbetei    were  brok  n 
ihe  ha    '  which  broke    nem  off,  mm  wfaich  tooK  ♦  \t  ^^'ild 
ali%    tr  e  and  gave  the  '    Id  olive  trr*   Ae  Gentiles       he 
h  vill  take  th-:  e  branches  anc  put  tliem  ba 

IS  "life  from    he  <  ead,"  rte  whtcn  was  cu  5 

ick;  this  means  the  restoration  of  Israei 

second  fact  is  a  stili  more  important  one.    It  gives 

ie  order  in  which  these  events  will  come  to  oass.    First,  ti»  order  . 

•        vild  olive  tree,  graff ed  i-     fails,  then    th.     wi' '    olive 

trte  branches  are  cut  off,  an(     ^  the  third  place  b.  .Ken  of! 

branches,  Israel,  will  be  gratred  back  upon  their  own  good 


ha? 


■■■■ 


^ 


63 

olive  tree.  To-day  we  witness  the  apostasy  of  Gentile  Chris- 
tendom. The  next  event  will  be  the  rapture  of  the  true 
church  and  upon  that  follows  the  cutting  off  of  that  which 
is  only  an  empty  profession,  judgment  upon  apostate  Christ- 
endom, and  this  is  followed  by  God  receiving  Israel  back. 
This  is  the  teaching  of  the  parable,  Israel  shall  be  received 
back ;  that  the  broken  off  branches  do  not  mean  individuals 
is  clear.  How  strange  that  men  should  teach,  they  mean  in- 
dividuals which  were  cut  off,  and  that  11  Jews,  unbelieving, 
of  all  generations  which  ever  existed  will  be  made  alive  and 
brought  back  to  the  land  to  enjoy  there  all  blessings  promised 
to  the  faithful  and  believing  remnant. 

Our  next  and  last  demonstration  that  God  hath  not  cast 
away  His  people  will  lead  us  further  in  the  order  of  events, 
when  and  how  all  Israel  is  to  be  saved. 


. 


ill 


CHAPTER  \  III. 


A    MYSTBRY    MADB   KNOWN. 


WE  have  reached  the  final  answer  to  the  question :  "Hath 
God  cast  away  His  peopl,-."    As  the  seventh  and  last  me  seventh, 
proof  of  Israel's  glorious  future,  it  is  the  completest  of  all. 
"For  I  do  not  wish  you  to  be  ignorant,  brethren,  of  this  mys- 
tery, that  ye  be  not  wise  in  your  own  conceits,  that  blindness 
in  part  has  happened  to  Israel,  until  the  fulness  of  the  nations 
I-.as  come ;  and  so  all  Israel  shall  be  saved.    According  as  it 
is  written.  The  Deliverer  shall  come  out  of  Sion ;  He  shall 
turn  away  ungodliness  from  Jacob.    And  this  is  the  covenant 
from  me  to  them,  when  I  shall  take  away  their  sins"  (verses 
25-27).    These  words  are  not  addressed  to  Gentiles,  and  no 
longer  does  the  apostle  say,  "I  speak  to  you.  Gentiles,"  but 
they  are  addressed  to  "Brethren,"  that  is,  true  believers,  to brethren. 
It  has  the  same  meaning  here  as  in  Romans  xii:i.    He  is 
now  going  to  make  known  a  secret,  a  mystery,  which  by 
revelation  was  made  known  to  him  and  of  which  he  does 
not  want  his  brethren  to  be  ignorant.    It  is  known  to  every 
reader  of  the  Word  of  God  that  the  word  "mystery"  and  the  Mystery, 
revelation  of  mysteries  hid  in  former  ages  is  found  exclu- 
sively in  the  Pauline  epistles.    Our  Lord  in  Matthew  xiii, 
that  great  dispensational  chapter,  speaks  of  the  mysteries  of 
the  kingdom  of  the  heavens  (verse  11).    The  seven  parables 
contain  mysteries  concerning  the  present  Christian  age.    In 
the  espistles  given  by  the  Holy  Spirit  through  the  Apostle 

63 


m 


. 

\ 

1 

1 

1 

t 

ni 

mk 


i 


i't         ! 


Paul  we  find  the  full  revelation  of  these  secret  things,  hid 

in  former  ages,  and  now  made  known.     What  are  these 

8T«, myrterie..  mysteries  in  the  epistles  of  Paul?    We  can  count  seven. 

"And  without  controversy  great  is  the  mystery  of  godlinesf  ; 

God  was  manifested  in  the  flesh,  justified  in  the  Spirit,  seen 

of  angels,  preached  unto  the  Gentiles,  believed  on  in  the 

world,  received  up  into  glory"  (i  Tim.  iii:T5).    This  is  the 

mystery  of  the  blessed  Gospel  itself  in  all  its  fulness.    In 

Colossians  i  :26-2y,  we  have  a  second  mystery :".... 

the  riches  of  the  glory  of  this  mystery  among  the  Gentiles, 

which  is,  Christ  in  you  the  hope  of  glory."    Here  the  blessed 

union  of  Christ  and  the  believer  is  made  known.    In  Ephes- 

ians  iii  and  v  we  have  a  third  and  fourth  secret.    These  are 

concerning  the  church,  which  is  both  His  body  and  His  bride. 

Then  in  i  Corinthians  xv:  51  is  a  fifth  mystery:  "Behold, 
I  show  you  a  mystery.  We  shall  not  all  sleep,  but  we  shall 
all  be  changed."  It  is  the  blessed  secret  about  the  coming 
of  the  Lord  for  the  gathering  of  His  saints,  more  fully  r^ade 
known  in  i  Thess.  iv:i6,  17.  In  2  Thess.  ii  is  the  mystery 
concerning  the  iniquity  and  the  final  Antichrist,  and  here 
in  Romans  xi  it  is  the  mystery  of  Israel. 

These  secret  things  made  known  through  Paul  in  these 
epistles  are  of  the  greatest  importance.  Ignorance  in  these 
is  disastrous,  and  the  true  Christian  position,  calling  and 
privileges,  as  well  as  what  the  church  is  and  the  destiny  of 
the  church,  cannct  be  grasped  without  a  deeper  knowledge 
of  these  mysteries  made  known. 

Not  alone  does  Paul  want  the  brethren  to  know  the  mys- 
tery here,  that  they  may  not  be  ignorant,  but  he  adds  "that 


65 


The  answer    is  wi8«  in  their  own 

conceits. 


ye  may  not  be  wise  in  your  own  conceits."  This  would  be  a 
very  suitable  word  to  put  over  Christendom,  "they  are  wise 
in  their  own  conceits."  It  characterizes  the  present  day  con- 
fusion and  falling  away  about  us.  And  why  is  the  profess- 
ing church  wise  in  her  own  conceit? 
evident,  because  the  professing  church  ignores  the  mysteries 
made  known.  What  a  change  we  would  see  in  Christendom 
if  the  mystery  of  church,  what  the  church  is,  the  one  body, 
etc.,  were  known.  If  the  mystery  were  believed  about  the 
union  of  the  believer  with  Christ,  the  believer's  completeness 
in  Him,  how  different  all  would  be.  Alasl  God's  secrets 
are  ignored  and  religious  man  r^ither  follows  traditions  and 
great  men,  and  this  is  why  Christendom  is  wise  in  their  own 
conceits.  And  what  keeps  us  humble  ?  What  keeps  us  from 
following  our  own  thoughts  and  imaginations  and  being 
wise  in  our  own  conceits  ?  Certainly  only  our  complete  sub- 
mission under  that  which  God  has  revealed. 

What  then  is  the  mystery  here,  which  is  made  known 
about  Israel  ?  It  is  twofold.  First,  Israel's  blindness  is  only  Twofold, 
in  part  and,  Israel's  blindness  has  a  limit,  it  will  last  up  to  a 
certain  time.  So  God  hath  not  cast  away  His  people;  a 
time  is  coming  when  the  partial  blindness  of  Israel  will 
cease. 

That  blindness  in  part  has  happened  to  Israel,  we  saw  al- 
ready in  Ihe  parable  of  the  olive  tree,  where  we  learned  that 
some  of  the  branches  were  broken  off.  But  when  that  blind- 
ness is  to  be  removed,  we  have  not  seen  before  in  our 
chapter.  Here  is  something  altogether  new.  In  the  Old 
Testament  Scriptures  we  read  much  about  Israel's  judicial 


n 


I 


66 


Partial  bUod- 
neaa. 


Uatil. 


Fulnesf. 


blindness,  the  judgments  to  fall  upon  them  as  a  nation,  and 
also  their  future  exaltation  and  blessing.  But  nowhere  do 
we  find  definite  information  when  the  great  event  of  Israel's 
reception  will  take  place. 

When  our  Lord,  before  His  ascension,  was  asked  by  His 
disciples,  "'Lord,  wilt  thou  at  this  time  restore  again  the 
kingdom  of  Israel?"  He  answered,  "It  is  not  for  you  to 
know  the  times  or  the  seasons  which  the  Father  hath  put  in 
His  own  power"  (Acts  i:6,  7).  Here  in  Romans  xi:25  we 
have  the  secret  made  known  and  the  time  is  given,  when 
Israel's  blindness  will  cease.  "Until  the  fulness  of  the  Gen- 
tiles be  come  in."  The  fulness  of  the  nations  is  to  come  in 
first.  This  is  the  great  work  which  has  first  to  be  accom- 
plished, the  next  great  event,  and  as  soon  as  this  fulness  of 
the  C„  -itiles  has  been  brought  in,  Israel's  hour  of  salvation 
and  hlesiiing  has  come. 

The  important  question  is  next,  What  does  this  term 
"fulness  of  the  Gentiles"  mean?  It  certainly  does  not  mean 
what  that  poor  and  unscholarly  paraphrase  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament, known  and  circulated  by  the  name  of  "the  twentieth 
century  New  Testament"  has  made  it.  That  inferior  trans- 
lation says :  "that  callousness  has  to  some  extent  come  upon 
Israel,  and  will  continue  until  all  the  rest  of  the  world  has 
been  gathered  in."  These  translators  who  call  themselves 
"twenty  eininent  scholars"  (they  have  chosen  to  hide  their 
identity)  tell  ns  that  the  Greek  word  (pleroma)  means  "all 
the  rest  of  the  world."  What  an  awful  liberty  these  self- 
styled  eminent  scholars  have  taken  with  the  Word  of  God ! 
Pleroma  does  not  mean  all  the  rest  of  the  world."  but  its  true 


67 


meaning  is  "the  full  number,"  or  translated  with  one 
word  "fulness."  The  full  number  of  the  Gentiles,  or  fulness 
of  the  Gentiles  has  to  be  brought  in. 

This  term  is  also  to  be  distinguished  from  "the  times  of 
the  Gentiles,"  which  are  to  be  fulfilled.  Thus  we  read  Luke 
xxi:24,  "Jerusalem  shall  be  trodden  down  of  the  Gentiles,  nikexxi:24. 
until  the  times  of  the  Gentiles  be  fulfilled."  Here,  too,  is 
an  "until,"  that  little  word  of  hope  a.id  cheer  for  poor  Israel. 
But  the  two  terms,  "times  of  the  Gentiles  (or  nations)"  and 
"fulness  of  the  Gentiles"  are  not  identical. 

It  is  well  that  we  see  the  difference  at  this  time.  The 
times  of  the  Gentiles  will  end  suddenly.  The  times  of  the 
Gentiles  began  with  Nebuchadnezzar,  whose  dream,  divinely 
interpreted  by  Daniel  (Dan.  ii.)  is  a  prophecy  about  the  Gen- 
tiles, and  in  that  dream  we  read  how  the  times  of  the  (jen- 
tiles  will  be  fulfilled,  what  the  end  will  be.  The  stone,  smites 
ihc  great  imag<'  at  its  feet,  tl'.c  ten  toes,  that  future  ten 
kingdom  division  of  the  Roman  empire,  this  stone  which 
pulverizes  the  image,  is  the  second  coming  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  visibly  and  gloriously.  Then  Jerusalem  will  be  de- 
livered and  will  no  more  be  trodden  dowMi  by  the  Gentiles, 
but  become  the  city  of  a  great  king. 

Now,  the  fulness  of  the  Gentiles  is  something  altogether 
different.  This  is  an  event,  which  occurs  before  the  times  of 
the  Gentiles  are  fulfilled.  After  the  fulness  of  the  Gentiles 
has  been  brought  in  the  times  of  the  Gentiles  will  still  go  on 
till  the  sudden  end.  the  great  catastrophe,  as  seen  from 
Daniel's  prophecy. 

The   fulness  of  the  Gentiles  means  a  certain  nvunber,  a 


Times  of  the 
Oeniilea. 


68 


Wkftt  thii  fttl- 

■MSll. 


The  remnant. 


number  known  to  God  alone,  called  out  from  the  nations  to 
constitute  the  church ;  in  other  words,  the  fulness  of  the  Gen- 
tiles is  the  completion  of  the  tnie  church.  As  soon  as  the 
church  is  complete  as  to  numbers,  this  fulness  will  be  brought 
in,  that  is,  imo  Himself  in  His  own  presence.  A  day  is 
coming — and  how  soon  it  may  be ! — when  the  church  is  com- 
plete ;  the  last  member  has  been  added  to  the  body  and  then 
that  fulness  is  brought  in.  In  Ephesians  i  :23,  the  church  is 
called  His  body,  the  fulness  (pleroma)  of  Him.  An  apos- 
tate "chuich"  will  be  left  behind  amidst  the  so  called  "Chris- 
tian nations"  and  the  Gentile  age  will  end  in  its  foretold 
tribulation  and  wrath. 

As  soon  then  as  the  fulness  of  the  Gentiles  is  brought  in, 

the  church,  the  body  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Qirist,  complete,  a 

change  takes  place  with  Israel.     God  begins  to  deal  again 

with  them  in  mercy  and  on  a  national  basis.    Thus  we  see 

ill  tiie  book  of  Revelation  after  the  removal  of  the  church, 

that  a  remnant  of  Israel.  12,000  of  each  tribe  is  called  and 

sealed   (Revel,  vii.)    This  is  a  believing  remnant  and  the 

l)lindness   is   no   longer   upon   them.    And   then,   after  thv 

rapid    fulfillment   of   the   great   prophecies   conceming   the 

time   of   the    end,    Israel   prominently    in    the    foreground, 

the  blessed  and  glorious  moment  comes  at  last,  when  all 

Israel  is  saved.    And  so  all  Israel  shall  be  snved.    The  "so," 

the  manner  how  they  are  being  saved  is  given  in  the  verse 

which  follows:  "According  as  it  is  written.  The  Deliverer 

shall  come  out  of  Sion;  He  shall  turn  away  ungodliness 

from  Jacob." 

But  what  have  we  to  understand  bv  "all  Israel  shall  be 


69 


Hi'M 


saved?"    Some,  like  Calvin,  believe  that  "all  Israel"  means   what  is  "all 

Tsraej  f" 

the  whole  number  of  saved  from  the  very  beginning  and  in- 
cluding Jews  as  well  as  Gentiles.  This  is  wrong  for  it  is  not 
the  question  of  Gentile  salvation,  but  of  Israel's  salvation. 
Others  teach  that  "all  Israel"  means  literally  all  the  Israel- 
ites who  ever  lived,  the  righteous  as  well  as  the  unrighteous, 
the  believing  ones  and  the  unbelievers,  in  one  word  that  all 
Jews  who  ever  lived,  with  perhaps  a  few  exceptions,  will  be 
raised  up  at  the  time  to  which  the  above  Scripture  refers,  evh  doctrines, 
and  all  will  then  be  saved.  This  is  a  theory  which  might  be 
called  "Jewish  Universalism,"  for  it  is  nothing  less  and  of 
necessity  must  lead  to  a  belief  in  the  final  salvation  of  all 
Gentiles.  Indeed,  the  advocates  of  this  theory  of  universal 
Jewish  resurrection  and  universal  Jewish  salvation,  hold  the 
restitution  of  the  Gentiles  as  well,  that  all  unsaved,  with  the 
exception  of  a  few  wicked  persons  of  a  special  class,  will  be 
raised  from  the  dead  at  the  beginning  of  the  millennium  and 
brought  back  to  their  former  condition.  A  certain  Henry 
Dunn  is  the  modern  advocate  of  this  evil  doctrine ;  it  has  be- 
come widespread  through  the  "Millennial  Dawn  heresy"  and 
alas !  thousands  of  Christian  people  have  accepted  it.  How 
strangely  such  theories  are  read  into  the  Word  of  God  we 
learned  but  recently  from  a  volume  treating  the  Jewish  ques- 
tion. Matthew  xxiii  :37-39  is  used  as  an  argument  to  show 
that  "all  Israel"  includes  the  very  people  who  rejected  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  Jerusalem  and  all  will  be  raised  from  the 
dead  to  see  Him  coming  again  and  then  be  saved.  The  pas- 
sage reads :  "O  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem,  that  killeth  the  proph- 
ets and  stoneth  them  that  are  sent  unto  her  I  how  often  would 


70 


I  have  gathered  thy  children  together,  as  a  hen  gathers  her 
Bi»tUi.zxi:ar-».  chickens  under  her  wings,  and  ye  would  not.  Behold,  your 
house  is  left  unto  you  desolate.  For  I  say  unto  you,  ye  shall 
in  no  wise  see  me  henceforth,  until  ye  shall  say.  Blessed  is 
He  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord."  The  argument 
first  states  that  when  the  Lord  says,  "your  house  is  left 
unto  you  desolate,"  He  meant,  of  course,  the  people  who 
stood  there,  the  generation  which  saw  Him  and  rejected 
Him,  the  Lord  of  Glory.  It  is  then  claimed  in  the  most  rigid 
literalism  we  have  ever  seen  in  print,  that  when  the  Lord 
said,  "Ye  shall  in  no  wise  see  me  henceforth,  until  ye  shall 
say,  etc.,"  that  He  meant  that  all  those  who  stood  there  and 
saw  Him  for  the  last  time  in  the  temple,  that  all  these  indi- 
viduals shall  see  Him  coming  again  and  welcome  Him  with 
"Blessed  is  He  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord."  Ac- 
cording to  this  belief  all  these  wicked  Pharisees  and  chief 
priests  who  rejected  the  Lord  wilfully,  who  accused  Him  of 
driving  out  demons  by  Beelzebub,  as  well  as  the  mass  of 
people  who  cried,  "Crucify  Him,  Crucify  Him!"  will  be 
raised  from  the  dead  and  then  see  the  Lord  coming  and  be- 
lieve on  Him  and  be  saved.  That  such  is  not  the  teaching 
of  the  Word  of  God,  nor  the  teaching  of  the  Scripture 
quo'  i  from  Matthew,  can  easily  be  proven.  The  passage 
appears  only  in  the  Gospel  of  Matthew,  and  this  is  the  Gos- 
pel of  the  kingdom,  the  dispensational  Gospel.  All  has  a 
Jewish  national  aspect.  The  words  before  us  are  addressed 
to  "Jerusalem"  and  to  the  nation,  and  Jerusalem  and  the 
nation  will  abide  to  the  time  when  He  comes  again.  At  the 
time  of  His  coming  there  will  be  a  believing  remnant  wel- 


7« 


coming  Him  with  the  words  He  mentions,  and  these  are  a 

quotation  from  Psalm  cxviii.    The  nation  had  rejected  Him, 

but  He  looks  to  the  time  of  His  coming  again,  when  others 

of  the  nation  living  in  chat  day,  shall  wait  for  the  heavens 

to  open,  and  the  cloud  of  glory  to  bring  Him  back.    Indeed, 

these  unbelieving  Jews,  these  Elders  and  Pharisees,  if  they 

repented  not  in  the  offer  made  to  them  after  the  Cross  (and 

perhaps  many  did)  have  gone  to  their  place  and  await  the 

resurrection  of  the  wicked  and  not  the  resurrection  of  the 

just.     But  there  is  a  verse  which  completely  settles  such 

argumentation  as  the  one  we  have  mentioned.    In  Matthew 

xxi  .-43,  "Therefore,  say  I  unto  you,  The  kingdom  of  God  Matth  xxi  -.  m. 

shall  be  taken  from  you,  and  given  to  a  nation  bringing  forth 

the  fruits  thereof."     The  question  is  what  nation  does  the 

Lord  mean  here?    The  nation  in  His  day  had  rejected  Him 

and  the  kingdom  is  to  be  taken  away  from  the  nation — 

another  nation  is  to  receive  the  kingdom.    If  the  argument 

is  right  that  "all  Israel"  is  to  be  saved,  that  all  Jews,  the 

very  Pharisees,  who  heard  the  Lord  speaking,  who  hated 

Him  with  a  Satanic  hatred,  are  to  be  raised  from  the  d'^ad 

and  then  receive  the  kingdom,  why  did  the  Lord  not  say 

so  in  plain  words  and  give  them  such  a  promise  ?    Here  He 

states  most  positively  that  the  kingdom  shall  be  taken  from 

you,  and  it  must  mean  that  generation  living,  and  He  does 

not  say  a  word  that  they  ever  will  get  it  back.     Another 

nation  is  to  r'^oeive  it.    That  other  nation  is  not  the  church, 

for  the  church  does  not  inherit  Israel's  earthly  kingdom. 

The  kingdom  is  Israel's,  the  other  nation  is  the  Israel  of  the 


72 


wh«D  Ila 
comes. 


Zecb.  ziU  :  8.  9. 


future,  that  remnant  of  His  people  living  in  the  day  of  His 
glorious  manifestation. 

We  care  not  io  follow  other  arguments  which  are  ad- 
vanced to  defend  so  unscriptural  a  doctrine.  These  argu- 
^wh"*iL"*""*  '"^"*^  ^^^  ^^"^^y  indeed.  "All  Israel  shall  be  saved"  means 
the  Israel  living  in  that  day,  when  the  Lord  is  manifested 
in  power  and  in  glory.  In  the  great  tribulation,  the  time  of 
Jacob's  trouble,  the  whole  nation  will  be  sifted  as  never 
before. 

"And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  in  all  the  land,  saith  the 
Lord,  two  parts  therein  shall  be  cut  off  and  die,  but  the  third 
shall  be  left  therein"  (Zech.  xiii:8,  9). 

"And  I  will  purge  out  from  among  you  the  rebels,  and 
them  that  transgress  against  me,  I  will  bring  them  forth 
out  of  the  country,  where  they  sojourn  and  they  shall  not 
enter  into  the  land  of  Israel  and  ye  shall  know  that  I  am  the 
Lord"  (Ezekiel  xx:38).  What  will  these  restitutionists 
do  with  a  passage  like  this  ? 

In  Matthew  xxiv.  in  the  prophecy  of  our  Lord  concerning 
the  great  tribulation.  \\c  read  it  likewise.  As  it  was  in  the 
days  of  Noah,  so  shall  ;t  be  again.  Judgment  came  and 
overcook  the  ungodly  but  Noah  and  his  Iiouse  was  saved. 
So  will  it  be.  "One  shall  be  taken  (in  judgment)  and  the 
other  left"  in  the  earth  (Matt.  xxiv.  37-41).  Judgment  and 
fire  will  sift  the  nation  during  that  time  of  trouble.  (Isaiah 
iv:4.)  A  remnant  of  the  nation  will  pass  through  it  all, 
while  the  ungodly  who  worshipped  the  false  Messiah  shall 
be  swept  away.     It  is  this  remnant  which  constitutes  "all 


Esefciel  XX :  88. 


Judgment. 


73 

Israel,"  and  which  shall  be  saved.  However,  we  must  dis- 
tinguish this  part  of  the  nation  saved  in  that  day  from  the 
godly,  believing  remnant,  which  throughout  the  great  tribu- 
lation, preaches  the  Gospel  of  th'^  kingdom  to  the  nations,  tiit- 
remnant,  which  is  sealed,  which  juflfers  and  overcomes.  This 
remnant  is  clearly  revealed  throughout  the  prophetic  Word. 
In  Revelation  xii  we  have  the  woman,  who  flees  into  the  ReT.  xH 
wilderness  and  is  nourished  there  for  a  time,  times  and  half 
a  time  (y/2  years),  during  the  great  tribulation;  this  is  the 
part  of  the  nation  Israel,  which  is  preserved.  But  at  the 
close  of  the  chapter  we  read,  "And  the  dragon  was  wroth 
with  the  woman,  and  went  to  make  war  witli  the  remnant  of 
her  seed,  which  keeps  the  commandments  of  God  and  have 
the  testimony  of  Jesus  Christ"  (Revel.  xii:i7).  The  rem- 
nant here  is  the  believing,  witnessing  remnant. 

And  now  the  manner  of  their  salvation.  "According  as  How»aved. 
it  is  written.  The  Deliverer  shall  come  out  of  Sion ;  He  shall 
turn  away  ungodliness  from  Jacob."  This  is  the  return  of 
the  Lord  as  Deliverer  of  His  earthly  people.  He  comes  again 
to  Zion  and  then  out  of  Zion  He  shines  forth  in  His  mighty 
power  as  Deliverer.  This  a  most  precious  portion  we  have 
reached.  The  fact  given  here,  that  the  second  coming  of 
Christ  in  His  majesty,  for  the  salvation,  deliverance  and  res- 
toration of  His  people,  Israel,  living  in  that  day,  is  revealed 
throughout  the  Old  Testament.  It  would  be  impossible  to 
touch  upon  all  the  passages  which  teach  it,  and  types  which 
foreshadow  this  great  event. 

Of  the  latter  we  mention  the  story  of  Joseph.    There  we 
see  the  man  in  power  and  glory,  the  man  before  whom  the 


74 

knee  had  to  be  bowed,  the  Revealer  of  Secrets.    And  when 
Jowph.  his  brethren  came  the  second  time,  he  made  himself  known  to 

them.  There  he  stood  attired  in  his  royal  robe*  with  royal 
authority,  liefore  Iiim  eleven  treinnling  men.  nungry,  in 
lags  and  terror  stricken.  And  now  he  begins  in  the  tender- 
ness of  his  heart  to  weep  and  says :  "Come  near  to  me.  .  .  . 
T  am  Joseph  ycnir  brother,  whom  ye  sold  into  Egypt.  .  .  . 
then  he  kissed  all  his  brethren  and  wept  upon  them." 
Blessed  type  of  what  it  will  be  when  He  comes  the  second 
time  and  will  'forgivt-  them  their  sins  and  remember  them 
no  more." 

Or  we  think  of  Moses.  When  he  came  the  first  time  to 
his  brethren  to  deliver  them  they  rejected  him  and  the 
second  time,  forty  years  after,  when  the  tribulation  had  risen 
to  its  greatest  height,  tliey  received  him  and  iie  led  them 
forth.  And  in  the  New  Testament  we  have  a  type  in  un- 
believing Thomas.  When  the  Lord  had  appeared  the  first 
time  after  His  resurrection  to  the  shut  in  disciples,  and 
Thom*8.  Thomas  was  not  there,  he  declared,  "Except  I  shall  see  in 


*Grand  is  the  scene  in  which  Joseph  makes  himself  known  to  his 
brethren.  In  the  immense  pillared  hall,  the  walls  of  which  are 
covered  with  mysterious  hieroglyphics,  there  sit-,  on  a  golden  throne 
the  second  Pharaoh,  his  tall,  beardless,  statue-like  figure,  clothed 
in  white  byssus,  his  ba.e  arms  ornamented  with  golden  bracelets, 
on  his  forehead  the  sacred  golden  serpent,  and,  through  an  in- 
terpreter, is  speaking  cold,  threatening  words  to  frightened  weather- 
beaten  shepherd  strangers.  These  are  conscience  stricken,  and 
growing  pale,  whisper  one  to  another,  "We  are  verily  guilty  con- 
cerning our  brother."  Then  the  prince  arises,  descends  from  his 
throne,  stretches  his  arms  out  towards  them,  and  exclaims  in  well 
known  Hebrew  accents,  "I  am  Joseph  your  brother."— F.  Bettex. 


:^s,iLwti,asa&iB,  fs 


75 

His  hands  the  print  of  the  nails,  and  put  my  finjjer  into  the 
print  of  the  nails,  and  thrust  my  hand  into  his  side,  I  will  not 
believe"  (John  xx  :25).  Seven  days  pass  by.  Poor  Thomas, 
how  unhappy,  in  doubt  and  uncertainty  he  must  have  been ! 
And  after  eight  da.\s  again  His  disciples  were  within,  and 
Thomas  was  with  tlum.  Then  came  Jesus,  the  doors  beini; 
shut,  and  stood  in  tlu  midst,  and  said,  ''Peace  be  unto  you." 
And  what  will  Ht  do  He  who  searches  the  hearts?  Will 
He  now  condemn  Thonia  ^  for  his  unbelief?  Will  He  upbraid 
him  for  being  so  sic  '  of  heart?  Not  a  word  of  it.  "Then 
saith  He  to  Thoinns,  Rac'^  hither  thy  finger,  and  behold  my 
hands;  and  reach  hither  thy  hand,  and  thrust  it  into  my 
side;  and  be  not  fai.*  less,  but  believing."  And  Thomas 
answered  Him:  "My  Lord  and  my  God."  Surely,  thus  it 
will  be  again  when  the>  who  knew  Him  not  will  behold 
Him,  the  pierced  One.  There  are  thousands  of  orthodox 
Jews  living  to-day  who  firmly  believe  in  the  coming  of 
Messiah,  thousands  in  whom  a  changed  attitude  towards 
the  person  of  the  Lord  Je  us  Christ  is  noticeable.  Was  He 
perhaps  the  Messiah  or  was  He  not  the  promised  One? 
The  question  will  be  answered  for  them  in  that  day.  "Im- 
mediately after  the  tribulation  of  those  days  shall  the  sun 
be  darkened,  and  the  moon  shall  not  give  her  light,  and  the 
stars  shall  fall  from  heaven,  and  the  powers  of  the  heavens 
shall  be  shaken.  And  then  shall  appear  the  sign  of  the  So" 
of  Man  in  heaven,  and  then  shall  all  the  tribes  of  the  earth   Matth.xriv; 

89,30. 

(land)  mourn;  and  they  shall  see  the  Son  of  Man  coming 
n  the  cloiids  of  heaven  with  power  and  great  glory" 
(Matt,  xxiv:  29.  30).     "Behold  He  cometh  with  clouds. 


76 


and  every  eye  shall  see  Him,  and  they  also  which  pierced 
Him,  and  all  the  tribes  of  the  land  shall  wail  because  of 

whataday!  Him.  Even  SO.  Amen"  (Revel,  i  7).  "And  they  shall  look 
upon  me,  »vhom  they  have  pierced,  and  they  shall  mourn  for 
Him,  as  one  mourneth  for  his  only  son,  and  shall  be  in 
bitterness  for  his  firstborn"  (Zech,  xii:io,  11).  What  a  day 
that  will  be!  Tribulation  has  reached  its  height.  There 
seems  to  be  no  escape.    All  at  once  there  comes  an  ominous 

A  prater  and  a  lull.  The  sun  is  gradually  darkening  and  the  moon  dulls, 
while  stars  fall  and  the  heavens  and  the  earth  are  shaken. 
But  what  means  that  shining  cloud  up  yonder  ?  In  the  midst 
of  the  awe  inspiring,  fearful  phenomena  of  nature,  a  cloud 
full  of  fire  and  glory !  The  remnant  has  been  praying  for 
divine  interference,  for  a  i»  anifestation  from  above.  "Oh, 
that  Thou  wonkiest  rend  the  heavens,  that  Thou  wouldest 
come  down"  (Is.  lxxiv:i).  They  know  at  once  from  their 
own  Scripture  that  that  cloud  is  the  Shekinah,  the  garment 
of  Jehovah.  Their  whole  past  history  comes  up  before  them. 
Did  not  Jehovah  dwell  of  old  with  our  fathers  and  lead 
them?  Did  He  not  scatter  our  enemies?  Surely  this  is 
Jehovah  who  shines  forth!     And  so  we  hear  them  crying 

On  the  clou  i.  <^"t  '"  ^'^^^  dark,  dark  night.  "Lo  this  is  our  God,  we  have 
waited  for  Him,  and  He  will  save  us ;  this  is  the  Lord ;  we 
have  waited  for  Him,  we  will  be  glad  and  rejoice  in  His 
salvation"  (Isaiah  xxv:9).  But  the  cloud  comes  near, 
flashes  of  glory  light  up  the  heavens  (Hab.  iii:3);  the 
miqhty  lielit,  like  that  light  which  fell  upon  Saul  of  Tar- 
sus, the  Pharisee  of  the  Pharisees,  stronger  than  the  midday 
sun,  illumines  everything.      vnd  again  they  glance  upward 


\» 


77 

the  cloud 


r-H 


like  the  Son  of  Man 


and  behold  sitting  u, 
(Daniel  vii:i3).     Again  they  look  upon  that  wonderful, 
wonderful  scene  and  they  see  that  Son  of  Man  is  pierced. 
And  as  it  flashed  upon  the  brethren  of  Joseph  that  the  man 
in  the  royal  robe  is  their  brother,  whom  they  had  sold,  thus  i-aer.  confe. 
it  w=ll  flash  upon  Israel,  it  is  Jehovah-Jesus,  whom  they  had 
rejected,  their  Messiah-King,  who  comes  in  power  and  great 
glory.    Then  they  will  say :  "We  hid  as  it  were  our  faces 
from  Him;  He  was  despised  and  we  esteemed  Him  not. 
Surely  He  hath  borne  our  griefs  and  carried  our  sorrows; 
yet  we  did  esteem  Him  stricken,  smitten  of  God  and  afflicted. 
But  He  was  wounded    for    our    transgressions,    He    was 
bruised  for  our  iniquities;  the  chastisement  of  our  peace 
was  upon  Him;  and  with  His  stripes  we  are  healed"  (Isa. 
Hii:3-5)-     "And  His  feet  shall  stand  in  that  day  upon  the 
mount  of  Olives"   rZech.  xiv:4).     He  has  come  again  in 
like  manner  as  He  went  away.     And  then  He  will  turn 
away  ungodliness  from  Jacob  and  take  away  their  sins.    The 
iniquity  of  the  land  and  the  people  is  removed  in  one  day. 
(Zech  iii  -.9) :  "Who  hath  heard  such  a  thing?  who  hath  seen 
such  things?     Shall  the  land  be  made  to  bring  forth  in  one 
day?  or  shall  a  nation  be  born  at  once?    For  as  soon  as  Zion  The.-eBuit. 
travailed,  she  brought  forth  her  children.   .   . .   Rejoice  with 
Jerusalem,  and  be  glad  with  her,  all  ye  that  love  her;  re- 
joice for  joy  with  her,  all  ye  that  mourn  for  her"  (Isaiah 
lxvi:8,  10).     "And  it  shall  come  to  pass  afterward  that  I 
will  pour  out  my  Spirit  upon  all  flesh ;  and  your  sons  and 
your  daughters  shall  prophesy,  your  old  men  shall  dream 
dreams,  your  young  men  shall  see  visions"   (Joel  ii:28). 


.1 


•  u 


78 


UiKliteousnpXK 
and  i)eace. 


"Neither  will  I  hide  my  face  any  more  from  them ;  for  I 
have  poured  out  my  Spirit  upon  the  house  of  Israel,  saith 
the  Lord  God"  (Ezek.  xxxix:2q).  But  we  must  refrain 
from  quoting  more  from  the  promises  and  the  glory  which 
are  Israel's.  There  is  not  one  word  of  all  the  gracious, 
blessed  things,  which  the  Lord  has  promised  to  Israel  by 
the  mouths  of  His  holy  prophets  which  will  remain  unful- 
filled in  that  day. 

The  passage  here,  "the  Redeemer  shall  come  out  of  Zion," 
is  a  quotation  from  two  Old  Testament  Scriptures.  Isaiah 
lix:20:  "And  the  Redeemer  shall  come  to  Zion  and  unto 
them  that  turn  from  transgression  in  Jacob,  saith  the  Lord." 
The  second,  Psalm  xiv  7 :  "Oh,  that  the  salvation  of  Israel 
were  come  out  of  Zion !  When  the  Lord  bringeth  back  the 
captivity  of  His  people,  Jacob  shall  rejoice  and  Israel  shall 
be  glad." 

May  that  day  be  hastened.  May  we  pray  earnestly, 
'Even  «o,  come  Lord  Jesus;"  may  He  come  soon  to  take  us 
linio  fJimsclf  and  shen  it  will  be  only  a  littie  while  and 
these  glorious  scenes  will  be  enacted  upon  this  earth,  Jeru- 
salem will  be  delivered  and  become  a  pra'se  in  the  earth, 
and  the  scattered  nation  will  be  gather<ed  by  the  great  Shep- 
iicrd  of  Israel,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

Righteousness  and  peace  will  kiss  each  other  then  and  the 
knowledge  of  the  glor_\  of  the  Lord  will  cover  tlie  earth  as 
the  waters  the  deep.  There  will  be  singing  in  the  heavens 
and  singing  on  the  earth,  "Peace  on  earth  and  glory  to  God 
in  the  highest."  The  center  of  rejoicing  will  be  Jerusalem 
"nd  a  redeemed  people,     "Sing  and  rejoice,  O  daughter  of 


n 

Zion;  for  lo,  I  come  to  dwell  in  the  midst  of  Thee,  saith 
the  Lord.  And  many  nations  shall  be  joined  to  the  Lord  in 
that  day  and  shall  be  for  my  people  and  I  will  dwell  in  the 
midst  of  Thee,  and  thou  shalt  know,  that  the  Lord  of  hosts 
hath  sent  me  unto  thee"  (Zech.  ii:io,  n). 

Thus  the  great  question:  "Hath  God  cast  away  His 
people?"  is  fully  answered.  After  our  meditation  on  these 
wonderful  answers  we  have  learned  why  the  Holy  Spirit 
makes  the  answer  so  emphatic.  Far  be  the  thought !  God's 
own  Word,  faithfulness  and  righteousness,  are  at  stake.  H 
He  had  cast  away  His  people,  if  there  were  no  future  for 
them,  no  fulfillment  of  Old  Testament  prophecies,  then 
might  we  well  close  our  Bibles  and  despair. 

All  praise  and  glory  to  God  for  He  hath  not  cast  away 
His  people. 


CONCLUSION. 

A  ND  now  the  conclusion.  The  doctrinal  part  of  Romans 
has  a  grand  and  glorious  summing  up  in  Romans  viii, 
beginning  with  the  thirty-first  verse:  "What  shall  we  then 
say  to  these  things?  If  God  be  for  us.  who  can  be  against 
us?"  The  dispensational  section,  Romans  ix,  x,  and  xi  has 
also  a  sublime  conclusion. 

"As  regards  the  Gospel,  they  are  enemies  on  your  account; 
but  as  regards  election,  beloved  on  account  of  the  fathers. 
For  the  gifts  and  calling  of  God  are  without  repentance. 
For  as  indeed  ye  also  have  not  believed  in  God,  but  now 
have  been  objects  of  mercy  through  the  unbelief  of  these;  so 
these  also  have  now  not  believed  in  your  tnercy  in  order  that 
they  also  may  be  objects  of  mercy.  For  God  hath  shut  up 
together  all  in  unbelief,  in  order  that  He  might  show  mercy 
to  all.  O  depths  of  riches,  both  of  wisdom  and  knowledge 
of  God  !  How  unsearchable  His  judgments,  and  untraceable 
His  ways!  For  who  has  known  the  mind  of  the  Lord,  or 
who  has  been  His  counsellor?  Or  who  has  first  given  to 
Him,  and  it  shall  be  rendered  to  him  ?  For  of  Him,  and  for 
Him  are  all  things.     To  Him  be  glory  forever.     Amen." 

It  is  not  our  intention  to  follow  these  words  in  detail. 
Blessed  it  is  to  read  once  more  the  grand  assurance,  that 
God's  gifts  and  calling  are  without  repentance ;  He  wiU  not 
go  back  on  His  Word.  And  Jews  and  Gentiles  are  all  under 
mercy,  which  does  not  mean,  that  every  Jew  and  Gentile 

Ho 


RP^SkS'^^^'""'^^ 


8i 


will  receive  mercy,  as  taught  by  that  unscriptural  "restitution 
of  all  things."  The  Gentiles  who  believed,  obtained  mercy, 
and  when  at  last  the  Lord  comes  again  Israel  will  receive 
blessing,  salvation,  and  enter  on  her  inheritance  through  the 
sovereign  mercy  of  God  alone.  And  thus  Jew  and  Gentile 
is  a  debtor  to  that  wonderful  mercy. 

It  is  this  fact  which  brings  forth  the  sublime  doxology. 
What  depths  of  riches  both  of  wisdom  and  knowledge  of 
God  in  God's  merciful  dealings  with  the  Gentiles  and  with 
the  Jews!     How  unsearchable  His  judgments!    How  un- 
traceable His  ways '    May  we  even  now  join  with  our  hearts 
in  the  praise  of  our  God  and  our  Father  and  delight  our- 
selves more  and  more  with  His  merciful  ways.    And  as  such 
who  are  saved  by  grace  may  we  not  forget  that  they  are 
enemies  as  regards  the  Gospel  on  our  account  and  as  re- 
gards election,  beloved  for  the  Father's  sake.    May  we  re- 
member Israel,  His  poor  wandering,  scattered  sheep.    May 
we  not  forget  the  debt  we  owe  to  that  people,  the  people 
"whose  is  the  adoption,  and  the  glory,  and  the  covenants, 
and  the  lawgiving,  and  the  service  and  the  promises ;  whose 
are  the  fathers ;  and  of  whom  according  to  flesh  is  the  Christ, 
who  is  over  all,  God  blessed  forever"  (Rom.  ix:45). 


:!■  ;'■ 


mf^^mm 


ISRAEL  IN  THE  PSALMS. 


,.i^: 

:* 


Israel  in  the  Psalms. 


^T*HE  book  of  Psalms,  that  precious  collection  of  inspired 
*  songs,  is  a  prophetic  book.  The  instruments  through 
whom  the  Spirit  of  God  gave  these  hymns  of  praise  and 
prayer  are  Moses,  David,  Asaph,  Heman,  Ethan,  perhaps 
Solomon,  and  others.  Bui  these  Psalms  were  not  always  ar- 
ranged in  the  order  in  which  we  have  them  now.  They  may 
be  compared  with  a  collection  of  beautiful  and  precious  pearls 
lying  together  unstrung.  This  was  their  condition,  till,  we 
doubt  not,  another  inspired  Man  of  God  came  and  arranged 
them  in  divine  and  perfect  order,  putting  psalm  to  psalm. 
We  do  not  know  who  this  person  was,  but  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  Holy  Spirit  he  picked  up  these  beautiful  gems 
of  God-breathed  songs,  these  wonderful  prayers  and  hymns 
of  praise,  and  as  the  jeweller  does,  who  is  to  produce  a 
gorgeous  necklace  of  pearls  and  precious  stones,  this  instru- 
ment of  the  Holy  Spirit  arranged  them  in  such  an  order 
that  the  book  of  Psalms  is  in  its  order  and  progressive  teach- 
ing from  the  first  to  the  last  Psalm,  one  of  the  most  marvel- 
ous parts  of  the  divine  and  infallible  T?ook  of  books. 

It  is  not  astonisliing  that  this  book  of  Psalms  is  so  much 
loved  by  all  saints,  for  every  emotion  and  experience,  which  lord  by  aii. 
the  soul  is  capable  of,  is  mentioned  and  brought  out  in  the 
Psalms.  Millions  of  believers  of  the  past  centuries  and  up 
to  the  pres^-it  time  have  received  comfort,  joy,  encourage- 
ment, iJrr-^  and  hope  from  the  Psalms  and  found  iji  theni 


:'m 


tmm 


86 


How  Christ  used 
the  Psaluig. 


riches  for  their  souls.  The  praise  of  God,  the  exaltation  of 
His  name.  His  work  in  creation,  His  goodness  and  mercy, 
His  law  and  His  word,  sounded  forth  in  the  Psalms  is 
perfect,  and  the  believer,  who  accustoms  himself  in  the 
power  of  the  Spirit  to  follow  the  praises  of  these  songs  and 
who  enters  into  them  with  his  heart,  will  find  great  delight 
and  blessing. 

It  should  also  not  be  forgotten  that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
used  this  lx>ok  of  Psalms  perhaps  more  than  any  other  book 
of  the  Old  Tostaimnt.  He  quoted  from  it  in  His  public 
ministry  and  used  the  Psalms  in  meeting  the  Pharisees 
with  their  accusations.  On  the  cross  He  remembered  that 
unfulfilled  prophecy  of  Psalm  lxix:2i,  and  that  the  Scrip- 
tures might  be  fulfilled  He  said,  "I  thirs.'  CJohn  xix:28). 
WHicn  the  dark  hour,  the  hour  of  deepest  sorrow  came,  He 
cried,  "My  God,  my  God.  why  hast  Thou  forsaken  me," 
which  is  found  in  the  twenty-second  Psalm.  He  used  the 
Psalms  alter  His  resurrection,  "Go  to  my  brethren"  (John 
xx:i7),  and  this  in  fulfillment  of  Psalm  xx:22,  'I  will  de- 
clare Thy  name  unto  my  brethren," 

He  also  said  unto  them,  after  His  resurrection:  "These 
are  the  words  which  I  spoke  unto  you,  while  I  was  yet  with 
you  that  ail  things  must  be  fulfilled  which  were  written 
in  the  law  of  Moses,  and  in  the  prophets  and  in  the  Psalms 
concerning  me"  (Luke  xxiv:44).  When  He  entered  heaven 
and  as  glorified  Man  came  into  the  presence  of  the  Father, 
the  Father  welcomed  Him,  using  His  own  Word  to  greet 
His  bel<ne('  Son,  in  whom  He  delights  "as  Highpriest  after 
the  order  of  Melchizedek"   (Heb.  v:io),  right  translation, 


I J     UJW  .1,1*!.  II" 


^S^^^^S^^^fl 


.■4£iii'.  f   A  ..   >#J>' 


87 


<  hcin  pivclnus. 


"saluted  or  welcomed  by  Ciod,"  and  this  is  a  quotation  from 
the  ex  Psalm.  From  glory,  in  addressing  the  seven 
churches,  the  Lord  still  uses  the  Psalms.  (Rev.  ii:26,  27, 
compare  with  Psalm  ii.)  And  He  still  waits  on  His  Father's 
throne  for  the  fulfillment  of  many  prophecies,  which  are 
predi'ted  and  celebrated  in  praise  in  many  of  the  Psalms. 

This  fact,  that  our  adorable  Lord  used  the  Psalms  so 
much,  and  most  likely  in  the  nights  spent  alone  on  the 
mountain  tops.  He  poured  out  His  heart  in  the  language  of 
the  Psalms — this  fact  should  make  the  Psalms  exceedingly 
precious  to  our  hearts.  But  why  did  He  give  the  Psalms 
such  a  prominent  place?  Because  in  them  His  person,  His  ^•j','".',^ "y^''?„ 
humiliation  and  suffering,  His  exaltation  and  glory,  are  fully 
predicted  and  described.  We  should  read  and  study  the 
Psalms  not  so  much  to  find  comfort  for  ourselves  there,  but 
wc  should  read  this  book  to  learn  more  of  Himself,  the  One, 
who  was  made  a  little  lower  than  the  angels  and  who  is 
and  will  be  crowned  with  glory  and  honor.  We  can  trace 
His  earthly  path  of  obedience  and  suffering  in  the  Psalms. 
Never  do  we  go  amiss  in  the  exposition  of  th^se  songs  when 
wc  apply  the  expressions  as  well  as  trust  and  obedience  to 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  But  His  glories,  especially  the 
coming  glories,  can  we  trace  there  likewise.  His  kingly  ,jjg  i„„niiiauon 
glory,  His  world-wide  kingdom  and  rule  of  righteousness 
are  revealed.  The  book  of  Psalms  is,  therefore,  a  prophetic 
book. 

It  does  not  alone  give  us  prophecies  about  Christ,  which 
were,  as  far  as  His  first  coming  is  concerned,  literally  ful- 
filled, and  prophecies  about  His  glory,   which  await  ful- 


and  clory. 


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(ANSI  and  ISO  TEST  CHART  No.  2) 


88 


filment,  but  here  we  find  also  many  prophecies  which  relate 
to  Israel.  Indeed,  the  Psalms  enter  into  the  entire  history 
of  God's  earthly  people,  their  past  as  well  as  their  future. 
Especially  is  it  the  godly  remnant  which  has  been  repeated- 
ly mentioned  in  the  previous  chapters,  which  is  revealed 
throughout  the  Psalms  in  a  most  striking  manner.  The 
coming  end  of  the  age,  the  events  transpiring  then  in  the 
land  and  in  Jerusalem,  the  suffering  which  the  remnant 
undergoes  from  the  side  of  the  unbelieving  nations,  the 
prayers,  the  so-called  imprecatory  prayers,*  to  consume  the 
enemies,  as  well  as  prayers  for  deliverance,  the  answer  to 
these  prayers,  the  manifestation  of  the  Lord  out  of  the 
opened  heavens,  the  overthrow  of  the  enemies  the  restora- 
tion of  Israel,  the  establishment  of  the  kingdom,  all  and 
much  else  is  given  in  the  Psalms.  Here  is  a  rich  mine  to  be 
explored;  it  is  delightful  to  discover  these  precious  things 
which  are  to  come.  How  much  more  there  is  to  find  for  us, 
if  we  only  were  not  so  slow  of  heart! 

It  is  a  well  known  fact,  that  the  Psalms  are  divided  into 
five  books.  These  five  books  correspond  to  the  five  books  of 
Moses  or  the  Pentateuch.  So  clear  is  the  correspondency 
that  the  old  rabbis  called  the  Psalms,  the  Pentateuch  of 
David. 
Oenesta  portion.       The  Gciicsis  portion  of  the  Psalms  extends  from  Psalm 


♦These  imprecatory  prayers  have  often  been  denounced  as  in- 
human, etc.  A  Christian  believer  surely  could  not  pray  these. 
This  is  not  the  time  to  ask  the  fire  of  God's  vengeance  to  consume 
the  enemies.  But  that  time  is  coming.  When  the  measure  of  the 
wickedness  of  the  enemies  is  full,  God  will  answer, 


89 


i-xli.  Many  of  the  Messianic  Psalms  are  found  in  this 
section.  Its  character  is  like  Genesis.  It  begins  with 
"Blessed  is  the  man"  (Psalm  i),  which  is  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  it  ends  with  "Blessed  is  he  that  considereth  the 
poor,"  and  this  is  the  same  Lord.  The  whole  section  ends 
with  "Blessed  be  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  from  everlasting 
and  to  everlasting"  (Psalm  xH:i3). 

The  Exodus  part  begins  with  Psalm  xlii  and  ends  with  Exodm 
Psalm  Ixxii.  Like  in  the  book  of  Exodus  do  we  find  here 
the  suffering  of  Israel's  remnant  and  how  they  are  delivered. 
This  section  is  rich  in  dispensational  foreshadowings  of 
Israel's  future.  It  begins  with  the  cry  for  the  tabernacle 
and  ends  with  the  vision  of  the  kingdom  established.  "He 
shall  judge  the  poor  of  the  people,  He  shall  save  the  child- 
ren of  the  needy,  and  shall  break  in  pieces  the  oppressor." 
"He  shall  have  dominion  also  from  sea  to  sea,  and  from  the 
river  unto  the  ends  of  the  earth"  (Psl.  Ixxii  :8).  This 
section  ends  with  a  fuller  praise  than  the  first.  "Blessed  be 
the  Lord  God,  the  God  of  Israel,  who  only  r'oeth  wondrous 
things.  And  blessed  be  His  glorious  name  forever ;  and  let 
the  whole  earth  be  filled  with  His  glory ;  Amen  and  Amen" 
(Psl.  Ixxii :i8,  19). 

The  third  book  begins  with  Psalm  Ixxiii  and  closes  Ixxxix. 
The  very  beginning  of  this  part  makes  it  a  Leviticus,  The 
opening  Psalms  are  the  gift  of  the  Spirit  through  Asaph 
ar.d  they  celebrate  the  holiness  of  God.  "Truly  God  is  good 
to  Israel,  to  such  that  are  of  a  clean  heart"  (Psl.  Ixxiii :i). 
This  refers  us  to  the  remnant  of  Israel  in  the  last  days.  The 
last  Psalm  in  this  section  rehearses  God's  wonderful  doings 


Leviticus. 


I     -b 


Il^ 


Numbers. 


Oavtwonomy, 


90 

in  behalf  of  His  people  and  puts  before  us  the  sure  mercies 
of  David,  that  is  the  full  ratification  of  tlie  Davidic  cove- 
nant, and  how  One  from  David  is  exalted.  "And  I  will 
make  Him  my  firstborn,  higher  than  the  kings  of  the  earth" 
(Psl.  lxxxix:27).  The  ending  is  "Blessed  be  the  Lord  for- 
evermore.    Amen  and  Amen." 

The  fourth  part  or  book  extends  from  Psalm  xc  to  Psalm 
cvi.    This  is  in  character  like  the  book  of  Numbers.    Here 
we  see  Israel  in  the  wilderness;  all  her  ways  are  traced,  but 
Israel  is  seen  in  this  section  led  out  of  that  wilderness  and 
come  into  her  inheritance.     The  opening  Psalm,  the  xc,  is 
significant.    It  is  the  only  Psalm  we  have,  given  by  Moses, 
the  leader  of  the  people.    It  speaks  of  death  and  is  rightly 
called  the  Psalm  of  the  old  creation;  the  xci  is  the  Psalm  of 
the  new  creation.     While  in  the  ninetieth  we  see  the  first 
man,  in  the  ninety-first  we  behold  the  second  man.    This  is 
the  shortest  section.     In  the  ciii  Israel  redeemed  from  all 
her  backslidings  sings  her  new  song.    "Bless  the  Lord,  O 
my  soul;  and  all  that  is  within  me,  bless  His  holy  name. 
Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul,  and  forget  not  all  His  benefits. 
Who  forgiveth  all  thine  iniquities;  who  healeth  all  thy  dis- 
eases; who  redeemeth  thy  life  from  destruction;  who  crown- 
eth  thee  with  loving  kindness  and  tender  mercies."    Then 
comes  the  civ,  the  praise  of  nature.    The  cv  and  cvi  are  the 
praise  of  His  restored  people  and  the  doxology  in  the  last 
verse  of  the  cvi  contains  the  nation's  praise :  "Blessed  be  the 
Lord  God  of  Israel  from  everlasting  to  everlasting,  and  let 
all  the  people  say,  Amen.    Praise  ye  the  Lord." 
Still    More  interesting  is  the  fifth  or  Deuteronomy  part. 


91 


the  last  book  in  the  Psalms.  Like  Deuteronomy,  it  puts 
oefore  us  the  end  of  the  ways  of  God  with  His  people.  This 
section  begins  with  the  cvii.  and  leads  to  the  close  of  the 

book. 

The  opening  is  highly  instructive.  "O  give  thanks  unto 
the  Lord,  for  He  is  go-ad ;  for  His  mercy  endureth  forever. 
Let  the  redeemed  of  the  lord  say  so,  whom  He  hath  re- 
deemed from  the  hand  of  the  enemy,  and  gathered  them  out 
of  the  lands,  from  the  East  and  from  the  West,  from  the 
North  and  from  the  South."  Deuteronomy  shows  us,  in  its 
closing  chapters,  how  Israel  is  to  be  scattered  into  the  cor- 
ners of  the  earth.  All  this  has  been  and  is  being  fulfilled. 
But  there  is  also  the  promise  that  they  should  be  gathered 
again  ".  .  .  Then  the  Lord  thy  God  will  turn  thy  captivity, 
and  have  compassion  upon  thee,  and  will  return  and  gather 
thee  from  all  the  nations  whither  the  Lora  thy  God  hath 
scattered  thee"  (Deut.  xxx:3).  Here  in  the  cvii  Psalm  we 
find  the  fulfillment  of  this  prophecy.  This  section,  and 
with  it  the  whole  book,  ends  in  a  continued  "Hallelujah." 
Praise  ye  the  Lord.  All  is  praising  Jehovah.  Israel  re- 
deemed, praises  Him,  the  nations,  all  creation,  everything 
that  has  breath  praises  Him.  Here  we  have  the  great  end 
of  all  things,  the  praise  and  worship  of  God. 

All  this  proves  that  Israel  is  the  leading  theme  of  the  The  leading 
Psalms.  Oh,  that  we,  indwelt  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  would 
take  more  time  to  search  out  His  marvelous  ways  with  His 
earthly  people  and  learn  from  them  the  goodness,  faithful- 
ness, mercy  and  holiness  of  Him  who  is  our  Saviour  and 
Lord! 


Ibeme. 


.1  ^' 


id  ifi 


A  few  helps 


92 

It  would  be  quite  impossible  to  give  all  references  in  the 
Psaln...  which  relate  to  Israel.  We  only  give  a  few,  which 
will  help  in  the  study  of  this  book. 

Israels  prayers  for  deliverance  are  found  in  passages 
like  the  following:  iiiri-;;  vii:i,  2;  xxxv:i-28;  xliv:22-26; 
l'x:i-s;  lxx:i,  etc. 

Israel's  confession :    li ;  Ixi  :i-5,  etc. 

Prayers  against  her  enemies:  v:io;  lviii:6-9,  etc. 

The  time  of  Jacob's  trouble:  xiii;  xiv;  xx:i,2;  xlii:i.4; 
lv:9-i2;  Ixxiv  .19-23;  Ixxix;  Ixxxiii,  etc. 

Antichrist,  the  false  Messiah:  x:2-  xliii:i;  lii;  liii:2o,  21. 

Assurance  in  faith:  iii:8;  iv;  xxvii:5;  xlvi:i-s;  Ivii;  Ixi; 
Ixxx,  etc. 

Deliverance,  victory  and  the  establishment  of  the  king- 
dom:  ix:5;  xlv;  Ixviii;  Ixxii,  and  many  others. 

Supremacy  of  /jraW :  xviii  4 1-45 ;  xxvii:6;  xlviii;  Ixxxiv; 
Ixxxvii,  etc. 

Praises  out  of  Zion:  ix:ii;  xxx:i-i2;  xlvii:i-9;  Ixvi; 
Ixxvi;  Ixxxi;  xcv;  c,  etc. 

The  C  lory  of  Zion  and  Jerusalem :  xlvi  :4-5 ;  xlviii  .2, 4,  12 ; 
Ixviii  :2i-23  J  Ixxxvii  :i-2 ;  rxxxii  :i4-i8. 

The  glorious  rule:  Ixxii :2-7;  xcvii:i-5;  xcix:i-4;  cx:6-7; 
cxlv:i3,  16,  21. 

To  illustrate  the  perfect  and  divine  order  in  which  all 
these  events  concerning  the  remnant  of  Israel  is  revealed, 
the  suffering  of  the  people,  their  wonderful  deliverance  and 
the  events,  which  are  connected  with  it,  we  shall  give  a  more 
detailed  exposition  of  some  of  the  Psalms  nientionerl  above 
To  appreciate  fullv  their  prophetic  meaning,  a  number  of 


93 

these  Psalms  must  be  studied  at  one  time.  They  are,  as  we 
said  before,  divinely  arranged,  one  follows  the  other  so  as 
to  bring  out  a  prophetic  picture. 

One  of  the  mos*-  striking  series  of  such  Psalms  leading  us 
frorr,  suffering  to  glory,  from  tribulation  to  deliverance, 
are  the  seven  Psalms,  with  which  the  second  book  begins. 


Hi.    .1, 


FROM  SUFFERING  TO   GLORY. 
Psalms  xlii-xlviii. 

In  the  forty-second  Psalm  we  have  a  picture  of  the  rem- 
nant of  Israel  thirsting  after  God,  the  living  God.  There 
are  tears  mentioned  day  and  night,  and  the  enemy  which 
reproaches,  "Where  is  thy  God?"'  This  reproach,  which  in 
the  prophets  comes  always  from  the  side  of  Gentiles,  is 
uttered  by  them  ngainst  the  pious  portion  of  Israel  in  the  Toaiii:ir. 
last  days.  Thus  in  Joel  ii:i7,  that  prophecy,  which  refers  to 
the  time  of  Jacob's  trouble,  we  find  this  reproach,  "Spare 
thy  people,  O  Lord,  and  give  not  their  heritage  to  reproach, 
that  the  nations  should  rule  ever  them;  wherefore  should 
they  say  among  the  people.  Where  is  their  God  ?"  It  is  found 
in  Psalm  lxxix:io  and  in  Micah  vii:io.  In  that  passage  the 
victory  of  Israel  over  the  boasting  enemy  is  predicted.  The 
pious,  God  fearing  remnant  is  seen  afar  off  from  the  pres- 
ence of  the  Lord;  th' *  remember  Him  from  the  land  of 
Jordan  and  of  the  Hermonites,  from  the  hill  of  Mizar.  in  deep  trouble. 
(Verse  6.)    They  are  in  deep  trouble  and  fearful  upheavals. 


!  :i' 


Their  Hope. 


94 

"Deep  calleth  unto  deep  at  the  noise  of  thy  waterspouts; 
all  thy  waves  and  thy  billows  are  gone  over  me"  (verse  7). 
Very  significantly  the  same  words  are  found  in  the  book  of 
Jonah.  When  Jonah,  repentant  in  the  belly  of  the  fish,  de- 
sires to  be  in  the  Lord's  presence  in  His  holy  temple,  he  said : 
'•For  thou  hadst  cast  me  into  the  deep,  in  the  midst  of  the 
seas;  and  the  floods  compassed  me  about;  all  thy  billows 
and  thy  waves  passed  over  me"  (Jonah  ii  ii;).  And  yet  this 
whole  Psalm,  in  spite  of  the  complaint,  the  trouble  and  the 
reproach  breathes  confidence  and  hope  in  God.  "Hope 
thou  in  God;  for  I  shall  yet  praise  Him,  who  is  the  health 
of  my  countenance  and  my  God." 

The  forty-third  Psalm  is  the  continuation  of  the  remnant's 
suflfering  and  pleading  in  prayer,  as  well  as  an  expression 
of  their  faitn  -n  God  and  the  coming  deliverance.  "Plead 
my  cause  against  an  ungodly  nation"  (verse  i)  they  pray. 
The  ungodly  nation  is  the  unbelieving  part  of  Israel,  which 
will  be  swept  away  by  the  wrath  of  God.  "O  deliver  me 
The  wicked  man.  from  the  deceitful  and  wicked  man."  This  man  of  wicked- 
ness and  deceit  is  none  other  than  the  Man  of  Sin,  the  Son  of 
Perdition,  the  final  Anti-Christ,  who  is  received  as  Messiah 
by  the  ungodly  nation,  but  not  by  the  remnant  of  Israel. 

Beautiful  and  instructive  is  their  prayer  in  verse  3.  "Send 
out  Thy  light  and  Thy  truth;  let  them  lead  me;  let  them 
bring  me  unto  Thy  holy  hill,  and  to  Thy  tabernacles."  What 
is  the  meaning  of  sending  out  light  and  truth  ?  The  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  is  the  Light  and  the  Truth  and  they  are  waiting 
on  God  to  send  Him  forth  and  that  He  would  lead  them  to 
the  holy  hill.    A  similar  prayer  is  found  in  Psalm  Ixxx: 


For  Liirht  and 
Trutl.. 


95 


"Let  Thy  hand  be  upon  the  man  of  Thy  right  hand,  upon 
the  Son  of  man,  whom  Thou  madest  strong  for  Thyself." 

The  Psalm  which  follows,  the  forty-fourth,  they  remem- 
ber first  of  all  before  God,  how  in  former  times  He  had  re- 
deemed His  people  and  gave  them  victory  not  by  their  own 
power,  but  He  the  mighty  God  had  stretched  forth  His  arm 
and  redeemed  them  by  power.  "For  they  got  not  the  land 
in  possession  by  their  own  sword,  neither  did  their  own 
arm  save  them ;  but  Thy  right  hand,  and  Thy  right  arm,  and 
the  light  of  Thy  c>  e,  because  Thou  hadst  a  favor 

unto  them.    Thou  "ving,  O  God;  command  deliver- 

ances for  Jacob.  ^n  T*  ee  will  we  push  down  our 

enemies ;  through  Thy  name  Will  we  tread  them  under,  that 
rise  up  against  us."  Thus  will  the  remnant  express  their 
faith  and  hope  in  God.  Then  comes  in  this  Psalm  a  sorrow- 
ful complaint  of  their  sad  condition  in  the  time  of  Jacob's 
trouble  (verses  9-16).  "But  Thou  hast  cast  us  ofif,  and  put 
us  to  shame ;  and  goest  not  forth  with  our  armies  *  *  * 
Thou  givest  us  like  sheep  for  meat  and  hast  scattered  us 
among  the  nations  *  *  *  Thou  makest  us  a  reproach 
to  our  neighbours,  a  scorn  and  a  derision  to  them  that  are 
round  about  us."  The  Psalm  ends  with  a  loud  call  to 
heaven  for  intervention.  The  trouble  is  at  its  height;  the 
time  of  their  extremity  has  come.  "Awake,  why  sleepest 
Thou,  O  Lord?  Arise,  cast  us  not  off  forever.  *  *  * 
Arise  for  our  help,  and  redeem  us  for  Thy  mercy's  sake." 

When  they  cry  in  this  awful  dark  hour,  the  last  days  of 
the  great  tribulation,  God  answers  them  from  above. 


Pleading. 


Th«MMw«r. 


96 


This  divine  answer,  the  visible,  personal  and  glorious 
manifestation  of  the  Lord  out  of  heaven,  is  seen  in  the 
Psalm  which  follows  the  xlv.     The  King  appears  in  Hi^ 
Majesty  and  Glory.     Who  this  King  is  in  the  forty-fifth 
Psalm,  no  higher  critic  need  to  tell  the  reader  of  the  Word 
of  God.    The  first  chapter  in  Hebrews  gives  us  the  answer; 
the  King  is  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.    He  comes  with  a  sword ; 
He  comes  to  overthrow  His  enemies;  He  comes  to  receive 
His  throne  and  the  Kingdom.    And  His  people  is  seen  de- 
livered, brought  into  His  presence  to  have  earthly  rule  and 
dominion  with  Him.     It  is  a  wonderful  prophecy  of  the 
Second  Coming  of  the  Lord  as  King,  to  deliver  His  earthly 
people,  at  the  end  of  the  age.    The  church,  heavenly  saints, 
are  not  mentioned  in  these  Old  Testament  visions  of  Jeho- 
vah's manifestation,  because  our  blessed  Hope  is  altogether 
a  New  Testament  revelation.    May  His  heavenly  people  be 
kept  from  putting  themselves  down  to  the  earthly  level  of 
the  Jewish  Hope, 

And  now  the  fifth  Psalm  in  this  series,  the  forty-sixth. 
We  discover  at  once  that  the  remnant  does  no  longer  pray 
HehMdeUvered.  ^or  deliverance,  for  they  are  delivered;  neither  do  they  long 
any  more  for  the  Lord's  presence,  for  He  is  with  His  people 
now.  It  is  joyful  confidence  in  God  and  assurance  of  the 
blessing  which  is  theirs.  From  the  sixth  verse  to  the  end 
there  are  the  great  results  of  His  Coming  made  known. 

"The  nations  raged  (Psalm  ii:i-3),  the  kingdoms  were 
moved ;  He  uttered  His  voice,  the  earth  melted."  So  it  is 
yet  to  be.    All  is  getting  ready  for  the  greatest  confusion, 


lUginK  naUont. 


I 


97 

rebellion  and  bloodshed  the  world  has  ever  seen.  Nation 
will  soon  lift  up  sword  against  nation,  but  then  all  at  once 
He  will  utter  His  voice. 

And  the  remnant  of  Israel  breaks  in  joyfully :  "The  Lord 
of  hosts  is  with  us ;  the  God  of  Jacob  is  our  refuge,"  Israel 
still  speaks  in  the  two  verses  which  follow :  "Come,  behold 
the  works  of  the  Lord,  what  desolations  He  has  made  in 
the  earth,"  Look  now  you  boa^iing  Gentiles  upon  yon 
Christless  and  Godless  civilizatijn,  you  great  institutions  of 
lea  'ng.  Christian  in  name — anti-Christian  in  spirit,  and 
behold  the  desolations.  Bu.  where  are  your  men  of  war? 
Where  are  your  quick-firing  machine  guns?  Where  are 
your  torpedo  boats  and  submarine  boats  ? 

"He  maketh  wars  to  cease  unto  the  end  of  the  earth ;  He    vmc». 
breaketh  the   bow  and  cutteth   the   spear  in   sunder;   He 
burneth  the  chariot  in  the  fire." 

'I'hen  the  Lord  speaks;  "Be  still,  and  know  that  \  am 
God.  I  will  be  exalted  among  the  i»^tions.  I  will  be  ex- 
alted in  the  earth. ' 

And  Israel  answers  again  :  "The  Lord  of  hosts  is  with  us ; 
the  God  of  Jacob  is  our  refuge." 

The  forty-seventh  Psalm  is  Israel's  praise  and  worship  of 
the  King,  and  the  seventh,  the  forty-eighth,  Zion,  Jerusalem 
the  city  of  the  great  King,  which  is  now  a  praise  in  the 
earth.  Enough  has  been  given  to  point  the  way  through 
these  seven  Psahns,  which  lead  from  Suffering  to  Glory. 


•mmi 


mm. 


98 

A  GREAT  PROPHETIC  PSALM. 
Psalm  Ixviii, 
I.     The  Lord  Coming        Scatter  His  Enemies  and  to 
Punish  Them~"Let  God  arise,  let  His  enemies  be  scattered, 
let  them  also  that  hate  Him  flee  before  Him"  (verse  i).' 
Numbers  x  .-35  tells  us  that  when  the  ark  of  the  covenant  was 
lifted  up  Moses  said  these  words.    When  the  Lord  of  Glory 
appear;  the  scattering  of  His  enemies  will  take  place.    These 
enemies  are  the  enemies  of  Israel.     Kings  of  armies  flee 
then  (verse  12).    "As  smoke  is  driven  away,  so  drive  them 
away,  as  wax  melteth  before  the  fire,  so  let  the  wicked  perish 
before  the  presence  of  God"  (verse  2). 

2.  The  Manifestation  of  the  Lord  is  Described.— "He 
Cometh  forth  and  marcheth  through  the  wilderness.  The 
earth  trembled,  the  heavens  drop  at  the  pres^nc-  of  God" 
(verses  7  and  8). 

3.  His  Manifestation  in  Mercy.  Mercy  Remembered  in 
Judgment.-" A  Father  to  the  fatherless,  and  a  judge  of  the 
widows."  The  solitary  set  in  families.  Prosperity  given 
back.  The  inheritance  confirmed  and  a  plentiful  rain  sent 
upon  the  land. 

4.  Israel  Restored  and  the  Captivity  Ended.— "He  bring- 
cth  out  the  prisoners  into  prosperity"  (verse  6).  "The  Lord 
said  I  will  bring  again  from  Bashan,  I  will  bring  them  again 
from  the  depths  of  the  sea"  (verse  22).  This  bringing 
back  is  not  a  so-called  restitution  of  all  things,  which  is  no- 
where taught  in  the  Word,  but  it  is  the  restoration  of  all 
things,  as  spcken  by  the  mouth  of  His  holy  prophets  (Acts 
iii  :2o).    It  is  the  bringing  back  of  tl       jattered  nation.  The 


99 

house  of  Israel,  hid  yet  a^vay,  will  be  b'ought  .ack  with  the 
house  of  Judah. 

5.  Israel  Will  Carry  Out  the  Judgments  of  Gorf.— "That 
thou  mayest  dip  thy  foot  in  blood,  that  the  tongue  of  thy 
dogs  may  have  its  portion  from  thine  enemies"  (verse  23). 
"Kings  of  armies  flee,  they  flee;  and  she  that  tarrieth  at 
home  divideih  the  spoil"  (verse  12). 

6.  Israel  Will  Have  a  Wonderful  Salvation.— The  13th 
verse  in  the  Psalm  indicates  that  salvation.  The  win.  '  of  a 
dove  covered  with  silver  and  her  pinions  with  yellow  gold 
speak  of  the  Lord.  Silver  is  redemption  and  gold  st?nds 
for  Glory.  Israel  will  have  Redemption  and  Glory.  Thr^ 
people  brought  back,  saved,  restored,  and  having  i;  remacy 
in  the  earth. 

7.  Israel  Will  Be  a  Rejoicing  Nation.— "Let  the  right- 
eous be  glad,  let  them  exult  before  God ;  yea,  let  them  rejoice 
with  gladness.  Sing  unto  God,  sing  praises  unto  His  name ; 
cast  up  a  highway  for  him  that  rideth  through  the  desert. 
His  name  is  Jah,  and  exult  ye  before  Him"  (verses  4-6). 
Israel  will  shout :  "Blessed  be  the  Lord,  who  daily  loadeth 
us  with  b  nefits.  even  the  G)d  who  is  our  salvation."  Gcci 
is  unto  us  a  God  of  deliverances.  Unto  Jehovah  the  Lord 
belong  the  issues  of  death  (verses  19,  20).  This  rejoicing 
will  be  in  the  earth,  but  in  the  heavenlies  there  will  be  His 
heavenly  people  around  the  throne  rejoicing  in  unspeakable 
glory. 

8.  Mount  Zion  Will  Be  the  Place  of  His  Glorious  ..lani- 
fcstation  during  the  Millennium.— "The  mountain  of  God, 
is  it  Bashan  ?    A  high  mountain,  is  it  Bashan  ?    Why  look 


iU 


W'W.l 


-m\ 


•''  n 


lOO 


ye  askance  ye  high  mountains  at  the  mountain  which  God 
has  desire  for  His  abode?"  Yes,  Jehovah  will  dwell  there 
for  ever  (verses  15  and  16).  This  mountain  is  His  holy 
hill  Zion.    The  Lord's  chariots  are  there. 

9.  The  IVelcome  to  the  King  in  His  Sanctuary  is  De- 
scribed.— "They  have  seen  thy  processions,  oh  God,  even  the 
processions  of  my  God,  my  King,  into  the  sanctuary.  The 
singers  went  before,  the  minstrels  followed  after,  in  the 
tnidst  the  virgins  playing  upon  timbrels.  Bless  ye  God  in 
the  congregation,  even  the  Lord,  ye  that  are  of  the  fountain 
of  Israel." 

10.  The  Ascended  One  Sends  His  Gifts  and  Leads  Cap- 
tivity Captive. — "Thou  hast  ascended  on  high.  Thou  hast  led 
capitivity  captive;  thou  hast  received  gifts  on  account  of 
man ;  yea,  even  the  rebellious,  that  the  Lord  God  may  dwell 
among  them"  (verse  18).  This  is  quoted  in  Ephesians  iv:8, 
9.  with  the  exception  of  the  latter  part,  for  in  Ephesians  the 
gifts  concern  the  church  and  here  it  is  Israel.  This  is  the 
reason  why  "and  for  the  rebellious"  is  left  out  in  Ephesians. 
It  was  in  part  fulfilled  when  the  descended  One  ascended. 
But  He  will  descend  again  in  His  glory,  and  after  the  mani- 
festation of  His  glory,  wrath  and  mercy,  wrath  upon  the 
enemies  and  mercy  and  salvation  for  Israel,  He  will  ascend 
again,  and  the  angels  of  the  Lord  will  after  that  be  seen 
ascending  and  descending  upon  the  Son  of  Man.  The  throne 
of  His  glory  is  in  the  heavens,  seen  by  the  dwellers  in  the 
earth.  Over  all  the  glory  will  be  spread  like  a  canopy  (see 
Isaiah  iv:6). 

11.  Jerusalem,  and  in  it  the  Temple  of  the  Lord,  will  be 


,1 


m 


:. 


lOI 


the  Great  Centre  during  the  Millennium. — "Because  of  Thy 
temple  in  Jerusalem  kings  shall  bring  presents  unto  thee" 
(verse  29).  The  representatives  of  nations  will  have  to  go 
up  to  Jerusalem  for  the  greatest  of  feasts,  the  feast  of  tab- 
ernacles (Zech.  xiv). 

\2.  Universal  Peace  Will  Be  Established. — "He  hath 
scattered  the  nations  that  delight  in  war"  (verse  30).  These 
nations  are  now  in  existence.  Military  Christendom,  as  it 
has  been  correctly  termed.  Armed  to  the  teeth,  they  are 
even  now  talking  of  a  universal  peace,  of  turning  the  spears 
into  pruning  hooks.  Only  the  Prince  of  Peace  can  speak 
(>eace  to  the  nations.  He  will  break  their  ships  and  their 
devilish  inventions  for  maiming  and  destruction  of  the  body. 

13.  The  Conversion  of  the  World  Can  Only  Come  After 
All  This  Has  Taken  Place.  It  is  Mentioned  at  the  End  of 
the  Ixviii  Psalm. — The  following  words  are  misquoted  again 
and  again,  and  looked  for  to  be  fulfilled  even  now;  or,  as 
others  say,  they  have  been  fulfilled.  "Princes  shall  come  out 
of  Egypt.  Ethiopia  shall  haste  to  stretch  out  her  hands  unto 
God."  Only  after  Israel  has  been  restored,  and  the  gifts  of 
the  ascended  One  will  have  been  given  to  the  nation  can  the 
world  be  converted  to  God.  All  other  teachings  are  unscrip- 
tural. 

14.  Millennial  Praises.  The  Psalm  Closes  xvith  the  Mil- 
lennial Hallelujah.  The  Kingdoms  of  the  Earth,  the  King- 
doms of  Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. — "Sing  unto  God  ye  king- 
doms of  the  earth ;  oh,  sing  praises  unto  the  Lord."  These 
are  a  few  of  the  dispensational  truths  the  Holy  Spirit  has 
revealed  in  this  wonderful  Psalm, 


I 


I02 


SCENES  OF  DESOLATION  AND  APPEALS  FOR 
THE  SON  OF  MAN. 

Psalms  Ixxix  and  Ixxx. 

^T^HESE  two  Psalms,  the  seventy-ninth  and  eightieth,  be- 
^  long  together,  and  in  them  the  Holy  Spirit  gives  a 
picture  of  the  condition  of  things  in  the  great  tribulation,  the 
time  of  Jacob's  trouble,  and  how  the  people  will  cry  to  the 
Shepherd  of  Israel  in  the  hour  of  their  extremity  for  deliv- 
erance and  salvation. 

The  seventy-ninth  Psalm  shows  the  events  in  the  tribula- 
tion, the  desolation  sjjoken  of  by  Daniel,  of  which  the  Lord 
reminds  His  disciples  in  His  Olivet  discourse  (Matthew 
xxiv). 

I.  The  Nations  in  the  Inheritance,  the  Temple  Defiled, 
Jerusalem  Wasted  (verse  i). — All  this  has  been  true  before, 
and  in  this  respect  the  Psalm  has  seen  a  partial  fulfillment. 
Again  the  nations  will  fall  into  His  inheritance  and  Jerusa- 
lem will  once  more  be  compassed  about  by  armies  (Zech. 
xiv).  The  Temple  erected  by  the  Jews,  having  been  par- 
tially restored  in  unbelief,  will  be  defiled  by  the  man  of  sin, 
the  wicked  one,  who  will  sit  in  the  temple,  saying  that  he 
is  God  and  worshipped  as  God.  These  events  belong  all  in 
the  time  of  Jacob's  trouble.  That  this  is  nearing  rapidly  is 
seen  by  the  fact  that  the  restoration  of  the  Jews  in  unbelief 
has  commenced.  How  near  then  is  our  gathering  unto  the 
Lord? 

II.  The  Terrible  Night  of  Suffering,  Tribulation  and 
Martyrdom  in  the  Land. — The  second  verse  shows  that  the 


I03 


dead  bodies  of  the  servants  are  given  b;-  the  enemies  as 

meat  unto  the  fowls  of  heaven  and  the  flesh  of  saints  unto 

the  beasts  of  the  earth.    These  servants  and  saints  are  not 

church  saints.    The  saints  are  then  in  glory  with  the  Lord. 

They  are  Jewish  saints,  men  and  women  who  refused  to 

worship  the  beast  and  who  waited  for  the  salvation  out  of 

Zion.    Revelation  xix  is  a  commentary  to  this  verse.    The   Awful  aufferinit. 

beginning  of  that  chapter  shows  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb. 

Heaven  is  then  seen  opened  and  the  King  of  kings  appears 

with  His  saints.    This  is  followed  by  the  supper  of  the  great 

God,  when  the  fowls  of  the  air  and  the  beasts  of  the  field 

come  to  eat  the  flesh  of  the  kings  and  captains— they  did  the 

same  with  the  dead  bodies  of  saints  and  now  m  the  wrath 

this  dreadful  punishment  falls  upon  them.    In  the  twentieth 

chapter   of   Revelation   these   Jewish   saints   who   suffered 

martyrdom  are  seen  in  Glory. 

And  I  saw  thrones  and  they  sat  upon  them,  and  judg- 
ment was  given  unto  them,  and  I  saw  the  souls  of  them 
that  were  beheaded  for  the  witness  of  Jesus  and  for  the 
word  of  God,  and  which  had  not  worshipped  the  beast, 
neither  his  image,  neither  had  received  his  mark  on  their 
foreheads,  or  in  their  hands;  and  they  lived  and  reigned 
with  Christ  a  thousand  years. 

The  third  verse  in  the  Psalm  presents  a  picture  which  is 
likewise  seen  in  the  Revelation:  "Their  blood  have  they 
shed  like  water  round  about  Jerusalem;  and  there  were 
non^  to  bury  them."  The  eleventh  chapter  of  Revelations 
shows  the  two  witnesses,  two  persons,  witnessing  during  the 
great  tribulation  of  Jerusalem.    They  will  suffer  death  and 


I04 


Wailing  and  cry 
ing  to  God. 


I 


their  bodies  will  lay  unburied,  j-azed  at  by  the  corrupt 
multitiu'es  in  the  streets  of  Jenisalcin  for  three  days.  Un- 
doubtedly the  bodies  of  many  Jewish  saints  will  lie  around 
unburied. 

III.  In  This  Tribulation  There  Is  Heard  the  Wailing 
and  Crying  of  the  Remnant  (verses  4-13).— The  center  of 
it  is  the  phrase:  "Help  us.  O  God  of  our  salvation,  for  the 
glory  of  Thy  name."  The  cry  includes  prayer  for  forgive- 
ness: Remember  not  against  us  former  iniquities — for  de- 
liverance and  cleansincr.  deliver  u?  and  purge  away  our  sins 
for  Thy  name's  sake:  for  bringing  back  from  the  prison 
(Matthew  v:25-26),  that  is  from  the  captivity,  verse  11, 
and  there  is  also  prayer  for  the  wrath  to  fall  upon  the  na- 
tions and  the  proud,  boasting  anti-semitic  kingdoms  of  the 
earth  for  not  calling  upon  His  name. 

However,  the  eightieth  Psalm,  which  acquaints  us  with 
the  believing  cry  of  the  Remnant  of  Israel  for  spiritual 
blessing  and  national  restoration,  when  they  are  brought 
very  low,  and  it  seems  as  if  they  are  to  be  swept  completely 
away.  But  the  days  will  be  shortened  then  and  the  cry  is 
heard  and  answered  by  the  deliverer  coming  out  of  Zion 
and  turning  away  ungodliness  from  Jacob. 

We  give  some  of  the  leading  thoughts  of  the  eightietln 
Psalm. 
Totiiesiiepherd.  J.  The  Call  Is  to  the  Shepherd  of  Israel,  the  One  that 
Divells  Above  the  Cherubim,  to  Shine  Forth.— T\ns  is  the 
Lord.  He  led  them  in  the  wilderness  (i  Corinth.  x:4).  He 
made  His  tabernacle  with  them  and  His  glory  was  seer. 
But  long  ago  He  had  withdrawn  and  when  He  came,  the 


I05 


same  Shepherd  in  the  form  of  a  servant,  having  emptied 
himself  (of  His  glory),  they  receivt .  Him  not,  and  like 
sheep  they  have  been  scattered,  ever  since  like  sheep  with- 
out a  shepherd.  Still  He  who  said,  I  am  the  good  Shep- 
herd, is  not  only  our  Shepherd,  but  He  is  Israel's  Shepherd 
likewise,  and  will  gather  His  poor,  bleeding,  outraged  sheep 
and  shine  forth  in  His  glory  agtin  for  the  salvation  of  His 
people  (Ezek.  xxxiv). 

n.     The  Prayer  Is  Repeated  Three  Times. 

Verse  3. — "Turn  us  again,  O  God,  and  cause  Thy  face  to 
shine  and  we  shall  be  saved." 

Verse  7. — "Turn  us  again,  O  God  of  Hosts,  and  cause 
Thy  face  to  shine  and  we  shall  be  saved." 

Verse  19. — "Tun;  us  again,  O  Lord  God  of  Hosts,  cause 
Thy  face  to  shine  and  we  shall  be  saved." 

The  name  of  God  is  not  alike  in  these  petitions.  The  first 
time  in  verse  3,  it  is  Elohitn,  in  the  seventh  verse  Elohim 
Zehaoth,  and  in  the  last  verse  it  is  Jehovah  Elohim  Zebaoth. 

How  significant  this  is !  There  is  confession  threefold 
and  a  heart  acknowledgment  that  God,  Jehovah  Elohim 
Zebaoth,  alone  can  help  and  His  shining  face  will  bring 
salvation.  It  is  the  cry  for  the  appearing  of  the  Sun  of 
Righteousness,  with  healing  beneath  His  wings, 

III.  Their  Restoration  Is  Made  Prominent. — Verses  8- 
16  must  be  studied  with  Isaiah  v  and  Jeremiah  xi:2i.  The 
hedges  of  that  vineyard  were  broken  down  and  the  wild 
boar  came  and  wasted  the  land.  Gentiles  entered  the  land 
of  Israel.  All  attempts  of  rer^oration  failed.  The  last  at- 
tempt made  (a  partial  restoration  in  unbelief)  seemed  to  be 


The  prayer. 


Their  reatora 
tion. 


f-l 


The  Son  of  Mad. 


Il 


106 

successful  for  a  time,  but  the  enemy  came  in  like  a  flood. 
But  now  comes  the  cry  from  believing  lips  and  believing 
hearts,  "Return,  we  beseech  Thee,  O  Lord  of  Hosts,  look 
down  from  heaven,  and  behold  and  visit  Thy  vine"  (verse 

14). 

IV.  Their  Hope,  the  Son  of  Man,  Whom  God  Made 

Strong  for  Himself,  the  Branch  (verse  15).— "The  Branch, 
that  Thou  madest  strong  for  Thyself."  "Let  Thy  hand  be 
upon  the  man  of  Thy  right  hand,  upon  the  Son  o?  Man, 
whom  Thou  madest  strong  for  Thyself."  (Verse  17.) 
Both  verses  mean  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  They  confess  that 
tb.ere  is  a  Son  of  Man  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father,  and 
that  their  hopes  for  salvation  center  in  Him.  And  the  ry 
is  to  God  that  He  may  place  Him  where  He  belongs,  that 
is  upon  His  own  throne  and  have  Him  shine  forth  in  His 
Glory.  It  is  the  cry  "Blessed  is  He  that  cometh  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord," 

V.  Israel  Healed. — "So  will  not  we  go  back  from  Thee; 
quicken  us  and  we  will  call  upon  Thy  name.  Turn  us  again, 
O  Lord  God  of  hosts,  cause  Thy  face  to  shine;  and  we  shall 
be  saved."  May  that  happy  day  soon  be  when  Israel  is 
healed  of  all  her  backsliding. 


THE  DAWNING  OF  THE   MILLENNIUM, 

Psalms  xciii-c. 

Ps.  xciii.    This  short  I     .m  is  a  kind  of  keynote  of  the 

Psalms  of  praises  which  follow.     It  contains  the  glorious 

theme  "Jehovah  reigneth,"  and  the  other  Psalms  to  the  one 


^ 


107 


hundredth  give  us  the  grand  and  glorious  details  of  this 
reign.  Jehovah  has  been  manifested  in  the  earth  appareled 
with  majesty  and  strength.  The  consequences  of  this  mani- 
festation are:  The  world  established,  the  Throne  which  is 
of  old  also  established,  the  rebellious  floods,  the  angry  waves  The  keynote, 
broken  and  overcome  (nations  the  enemies  of  the  Kingdom), 
God's  testimonies,  which  are  very  sure,  fulfilled,  and  at  last 
Holiness.  A  closer  study  will  show  that  all  these  short 
sentences  of  the  xciii  Psalm  are  unfolded  in  their  fullest 
meaning  in  every  Psalm  from  the  xcvi  to  the  one  hundredth 
Psalm. 

The  ninety-fourth  Psalm  puts  before  us  the  events  which 
will  transpire  right  before  the  Lord,  Jehovah-Jesus  comes.  Before  He 
The  Psalm  shows  therefore  Jewish  history  of  the  last  proph- 
etic week  of  Daniel.    Let  us  look  at  some  of  these  events. 

There  is  first  the  plea  and  the  cry  to  the  God  of  venge- 
ance, not  *:o  a  merciful  father,  but  it  is  a  cry  for  /eiigeance, 
that  the  God  of  vengeance  may  shine  forth  (vort '  i).  The 
second  verse  is  still  more  intense.  "Lift  up  r.yself,  thou 
judge  of  the  earth,  render  to  the  proud  recompense."  This 
cannot  be  the  prayer  of  the  saints  of  this  dispensation. 

And  why  this  cry  for  the  God  of  vengeance  to  appear  to 
come  and  judge  the  proud?  The  verses  which  follow  give 
the  answer.  The  wicked  triumphs.  Wickedness  has  the 
upper  hand  at  last,  and  the  workers  of  iniquity  boast  them- 
selves. The  fifth  verse  shows  that  the  wicked  one  and  the  R^n^t,' «*^'»- 
workers  of  iniquity  are  breaking  to  pieces  Jehovah's  people, 
and  are  afflicting  His  heritage  (the  land).  Satan  cast  out 
from  heaven  into  the  earth  will  not  find  the  saints,  the  body 


( - 

(1 


( ■ 


io8 


8Ibb  unto 
Jabovali. 


of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  here  to  torment  them,  for  they  are 
then  with  the  Lord  in  the  air.  His  wra^h  will  be  against  the 
people  whom  he  well  knows  to  be  the  con.'-ng  nation.  Tribu- 
lation is  from  Satan,  and  it  will  be  Jacob's  trouble.  The 
waves  of  that  awful  storm  which  will  then  pass  over  the 
land  and  over  the  people  are  seen  in  this  Psalm. 

But  in  the  midst  of  it  there  is  the  faith  and  hope  of  the 
believing  remnant.  The  second  half  of  this  Psalm  speaks 
of  this.  Jehovah  is  their  high  tower  and  their  only  refuge. 
To  Him  they  look  and  to  Him  has  been  the  cry  in  faith. 
"Jehovah  our  God  shall  cut  them  ofif"  (verse  23). 

The  xcv  Psalm  begins  with  an  exhortation  to  sing  unto 
Jehovah.  He  has  not  yet  been  manifested.  Tt  is  not  yet 
"Sing  unto  Jehovah  a  new  song."  As  the  moment  draws 
nigh  when  at  last  He  will  rend  the  heavens  and  come  down 
and  His  blessed  feet  shall  stand  once  more  upon  the  Mount 
of  Olives,  there  is  heard  in  Israel  the  exhortation  to  welcome 
Him.  Perhaps  Rev.  xiv  :6  and  7  speaks  of  this  glad  shout 
which  the  believing  remnant  will  utter. 

In  the  first  verse  the  rock  of  salvation  is  mentioned.  Com- 
pare with  Deuteronomy  xxvii:i5.  "The  rock  of  his  salva- 
tion, which  they  lightly  esteemed,"  is  the  same  rock  which 
they  now  acknowledge  and  whom  they  desire  to  greet  with 
a  joyful  noise.  The  Rock  is  Jehovah-Jesus.  But  in  the 
second  verse  there  is  mentioned  a  joyful  noise  they  make  to 
Him,  the  coming  One,  with  Psalms.  Once  they  did  cry  in 
Jerusalem  when  He  entered  the  city,  "Blessed  is  He  that 
cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  the  King  of  Israel ;"  but  it 
was  soon  to  be  changed  into  "Crucify  Him."     He  turned 


109 


I 


i 

I 


away  then  and  told  them  they  would  not  see  Him  again  till 
they  would  cry  "Blessed  is  He  that  cometh  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord,"  and  in  the  meantime  their  house  was  to  be  left 
desol:te.  Now  He  is  coming  again.  Signs  and  wonders 
are  seen  in  die  heavens  and  on  the  earth,  heaven  and  earth 
are  shaken  and  stars  fall  from  heaven.  At  last  there  appears 
the  sign  of  the  Son  of  Man  in  the  heavens,  the  Shekinah 
cloud,  and  the  cry  will  be  upon  beUeving  Jewish  lips  again, 
"Blessed  is  He  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord."  Psalm 
cxviii:26;  Matthew  xxiii:39. 

The  coming  One,  who  comes  to  reign,  is  confessed  by 
them  as  Ciod  and  King,  Verses  3-5.  He  has  all  power  in  Go<iundKiuK. 
heaven  and  on  earth.  Col.  i  :i6.  Next  is  the  call  to  worship 
and  to  do  homage  to  Him  by  bowing  the  knte.  See  Joseph's 
dream  in  Genesis  xxxvii  7,  and  at  last  the  brethren  bowed 
their  knees  before  <he  rejected  One.  Compare  Isaiah  xlv: 
23  with  Phil.  ii:io. 

Verse  seven  contains  likewise  their  confession.  For  He  is 
our  God.  (Isaiah  xxv.g.)  And  we  are  the  people  of  His 
pasture,  the  sheep  of  His  hands.     (Ezekiel  xxxiv:2-3i.) 

This  exhortation  to  praise  and  confession  is  followed  by 
an  exhortation  to  obey  Him.  (Verses  8-il.)  The  Lord 
Himself  speaks.  The  entire  nation  stiflf-necked,  disobedient 
so  long,  will  now  hear.  The  wilderness  wanderings  are  over 
and  their  backsliding  will  be  healed  by  looking  upon  the 
Pierced  One.  They  enter  into  the  promised  rest.  (He- 
brews iii  and  iv.)  The  Psalm  is  quoted  five  times  in  these 
two  chapters. 

The  manifestation  of  Jehovah  in  Judgment  and  in  Mercy, 


m 


'}- 


no 


Hta  DMDlfMt*- 

Uon. 


The  earth  sin^. 


ii 


Hi! 


the  Lord  coming  with  all  His  saints,  comes  in  these  proph- 
etic Psalms  after  the  xcv  Psalm.  The  exhortation  to  praise 
and  obedience  has  been  heard  and  the  heavens  opened,  the 
long-expected  One  has  come.  The  xcvi  Psalm  is  the  first 
of  five  Psalms  which  speak  of  the  Lord's  millennial  rule, 
His  glory  known  over  the  earth  and  in  the  earth.  Israel 
blessed,  a  holy  people,  nations  rejoicing  in  salvation  and  the 
knowledge  of  the  glory  of  the  Lord  and  groaning  creation 
delivered.  How  near  all  these  events  are  and  how  it  be- 
hooves us  to  look  into  them  and  rejoice,  not  alone  in  the 
blessed  hope  that  we  shall  soon  see  Him  and  be  like  Him, 
but  also  to  rejoice  in  the  glory  which  will  surely  spread 
ov<     the  earth. 

1  he  name  of  Jehovah  stands  three  times  in  the  beginning 
of  the  xcvi  Psalm.  First  there  is  the  singing  of  a  new  song 
unto  Jehovah,  Israel  will  sing  this  new  song.  Isaiah  xii. 
They  are  now  no  longer  the  tail  but  the  head.  The  last  have 
become  the  first. 

But  all  the  earth  will  likewise  sing.  How  sad  the  igno- 
rance of  God's  plans  and  purposes,  which  expects  a  rejoic- 
ing earth  at  this  present  time  when  Israel  is  still  dispersed 
and  unpardoned.  The  singing  of  a  new  song  by  Israel 
comes  first,  the  singing  of  the  earth  follows. 

His  salvation  is  then  proclaimed,  His  glory  declared  and 
His  marvellous  works  are  seen  among  all  the  peoples.  Israel 
will  do  this  proclamation  and  make  known  the  glory,  signs 
and  miracles  will  follow  (verse  3).  In  verses  4-6  this  proc- 
lamation is  seen.  Idolatry  will  be  abolished.  Nations  will 
no  longer  turn  to  wood  and  stone  to  worship  them.    Whole 


■, 


Ill 


nations  will  turn  from  idols  to  the  true  and  living  God. 
Satan  will  be  bound  to  deceive  the  nations  no  more.  Read 
carefully  Jeremiah  xvi  :i4-2i.  Notice  there  will  be  a  second 
gathering  of  the  Jews,  this  is  followed  by  the  confession  of 
the  Gentiles  and  their  conversion  (verse  19). 

The  worship  of  the  Lord  as  it  will  be  in  the  earth  and  es-  Wonhip. 
pecially  in  Israel,  the  glory  due  unto  His  name  is  described, 
verses  7-10. 

Bring  an  offering  and  come  into  His  court  stands  in  con- 
nection with  the  millennial  temple,  the  great  center  of  wor- 
ship on  the  earth,  a  house  of  prayer  for  all  nations.  (Ezek- 
iel  xlvi.) 

The  world  is  established  that  it  cannot  be  moved.  The 
overturning  timco— Ezekiel  xxi  :2S-27— -are  over  and  the 
true  form  of  government  for  the  earth  has  been  established. 
The  Lord  judges  the  peoples  with  equity.  All  nature  falls 
in  line  and  breaks  forth  in  singing  and  rejoicing.  The 
heavens  and  the  earth,  the  sea,  the  field  and  all  the  trees 
rejoice  and  sing  and  are  glad.  Read  Isaiah  xi:5-9;  lv:i2; 
xiii:6-i7;  xliv:23. 

Verse  13  reads — not  "Before  Jehovah  for  He  cometh," 
but  "Before  Jehovah  for  He  is  come.    He  judges  th  u 

(Israel's  land)  and  from  there  He  judges  the  world  in       !.•.- 
eousness." 

The  praise  and  glory  continue  in  the  xcvii  Psalm.  The 
Lord  reigneth  and  all  the  earth  is  His  and  rejoices,  the  isles 
are  glad.  The  foundation  of  His  throne  is  righteousness  and 
judgment.  He  is  the  true  Melchizedek,  a  priest  upon  His 
throne.     Psalm  lxxii:i-2. 


iir 


11 


=fi.f»t 


ii' 


HIa  f  lorioiM 
throne. 


iia 

Thr  clouds  surround  Him  and  from  there  fla«h  forth  the 
Hghtn-pgs  of  His  judgments.  Fire  devours  the  adversaries 
and  He  rules  in  the  midst  of  His  enemies.  His  lightnings 
lighten  the  whole  world,  the  earth  'rembles  and  the  hills 
melt  like  wax.  All  this  will  be  literal.  Isaiah  lxvi:is-i6; 
Habakkuk  iii ;  Deut.  xxxii:22;  Psalm  xviii:ii. 

The  Lord  will  descend  on  the  day  of  His  manifestation 
and  He  w  11  come  back  in  like  manner.  His  feet  standing 
upon  the  Mount  of  Olives ;  but  the  throne  of  His  glory  which 
will  be  shared  by  His  saints  is  not  in  the  earth,  but  over  the 
earth,  in  the  heavens.  In  the  earth  He  will  have  built  again 
the  tabernacle  of  David,  which  was  fallen  down,  and  upon 
the  throne  of  David  there  will  sit  and  rule  a  Prince,  who  is  a 
Son  of  David  and  vice-regent  of  the  King  of  Kings.  Eze- 
kiel  xxiv  124 ;  Ezekiel  xliv  :i-3.  From  the  throne  of  glory  in 
the  heavens  the  angels  of  the  Lord  will  ascend  and  descend 
upon  the  Son  of  Man. 

Verse  6  shows  that  His  glorious  throne  is  in  the  heavens. 
"The  heavens  declare  Hi?  rigfhteousness  and  all  the  peoples 
see  His  glory."  How  will  the  heavens  declare  His  righteous- 
ness? They  are  said  to  declare  the  glory  of  El,  the  mighty, 
but  here  it  is  His  righteousness.  Because  the  nations  will 
look  up  into  the  heavens  and  see  the  heavenly,  new 'Jeru- 
salem which  at  the  end  of  the  thousand  years  comes  down 
from  heaven.  There  is  the  throne  of  glory,  and  in  that 
throne  there  are  with  Him  the  Son  of  Man,  the  glorified 
ones.  He  indeed  is  the  first  born  among  many  brethren  and 
the  saints  who  even  now  are  quickened  and  raised  with 
Christ  and  seated  in  heavenly  places  with  him,  will  then 


II. 


actually  occupy  that  place.  They  are  His  glory,  the  riches 
of  the  glory  of  His  inheritance  in  the  saints  will  then  be  de- 
luo'istrated  before  the  eyes  of  nations  dwelling  in  the  earth. 
Nr)  human  tongue  or  pen  can  describe  the  coming  glories. 
(Eph.  i-'«.) 

The  end  of  the  xcvii  Psalm  speaks  once  more  of  the  con- 
sequences of  His  shining  forth  and  reign. 

The  xcviii  Psalm  is  much  like  the  xcvi.  The  idols  of  the 
nations  are  not  mentioned.  The  third  verse  is  the  key,  "He 
hath  remembered  His  mercy  and  His  faithfulness  towards 
the  House  of  Israel."  This  term,  like  many  other  passages, 
includes  both  the  House  of  Judah  and  the  House  o^  Israel. 
The  Psalm  contains  the  praise  of  a  nation  born  in  a  day, 
they  ^i i.g  the  new  song  because  salvation  has  come  and  th'; 
ends  of  the  earth  have  seen  His  salvation. 

All  the  land  (Israel's  land)  shouts  aloud,  there  is  a  break-  shouting »ioud. 
ing  forth,  a  singing,  and  with  harps,  comets  and  trumpets, 
such  a  joyful  noise  as  has  never  been  heard  in  Israel  and  in 
the  earth  before.  (Psalm  Ixviii  :25,  26.)  And  all  else  joins 
in.  The  sea  roars  and  the  fulness  thereof,  the  world  and  the 
dwellers  therein,  the  rivers  clap  hands,  the  hills  sing  for 
joy.  It  will  be  a  universal  singing  time,  above  in  the  heav- 
ens, beneath  in  the  earth,  in  Israel  and  among  the  nations, 
and  nature  will  be  no  longer  out  of  tune. 

Moses  sanpi  of  it  in  his  song  when  he  said.  Rejoice  O  ye 
nations  with  His  people,  for  He  shall  avenge  the  blood  of 
His  servants,  and  will  render  vengeance  to  His  adversaries 
and  will  be  merciful  unto  His  land,  to  His  people  (Deut. 
xxxii:43).     And  thus  the  Spirit  declares  through   Paul, 


iinr 


i;r 


I  If 


I 


Grand  flnale. 


"4 

"The  receiving  of  them  will  be  life  from  the  dead"  (Rom. 
xi:i5). 

His  rule  and  His  victory  is  again  put  before  us  in  the 
xcix  Psalm.  He  reigneth.  He  dwells  between  the  cheru- 
bim, the  earth  trembles.  The  living  creatures  of  Ezekiel  and 
Revelation  are  mentioned  here.  Zion  has  become  His  dwell- 
ing place.  Tlie  mountain  will  be  lifted  up  over  all  the  other 
mountains,  and  in  it  the  glory  will  be  revealed  and  judg- 
ment executed  from  this  spot.  Isaiah  ii  and  Micah  iv. 
Jehovah  is  great  in  Zion. 

Three  ti..ies  in  the  Psalm  declaration  is  made  that  Jeho- 
vah is  holy.     (Verses  3,  5  and  9.) 

The  names  of  Moses,  Aaron  and  Samuel,  which  are  men- 
tioned here,  were  priests  heard  and  accepted  by  God.  Thus 
Israel  will  be  like  Aaron,  Mci-es  and  Samuel  in  worship  an'1 
in  praise.  The  worship  in  the  earth  has  for  a  centre  the 
holy  hill  of  Zion.     (Verse  9.) 

The  one  hundredth  Psalm  is  the  grand  finale.  It  is  noth- 
ing but  praise ;  what  else  can  there  6e  when  the  earth  is  sub- 
jected unto  Him,  when  Israel  sings  the  new  song  and  nations 
learn  war  no  more,  but  bow  before  Jehovah,  when  groaning 
creation  groans  no  more  and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  covers 
the  earth  as  the  waters  the  deep.  Praise  from  generation  to 
generation.  May  this  praise  be  now  in  all  the  saints  of 
God,  not  alune  for  \\h^'  we  are  in  Him  our  Lord,  but  also 
for  what  He  will  do  in  ti»e  day  of  His  shining  forth. 


I. 


THE  PROPHECIES  OF  BALAAM. 


The  Prophecies  of  Balaam. 


i 


i 

i 


Numbers  xxiii  and  xxiv. 

THE  healing  of  Israel  by  the  believing  look  on  the  Brazen 
Serpent  stands  at  the  end  of  their  backsliding  and  mur- 
muring in  the  wilderness.  It  is  highly  typical  of  the  atone- 
ment of  the  Son  of  God,  and  the  complete  healing  through 
the  same.  Israel  was  victorious  once  more,  and  songs  of 
praise  and  victory  are  heard  in  the  camp.  And  now,  after 
the  sad  history  of  their  disobedience  is  almost  ended,  a 
prophet  pronounces  remarkable  blessings  over  the  wonder- 
ful  nation,  the  nation  so  miraculously  saved  from  Egypt, 
guided  and  kept  and  miraculously  healed.  This  voice  of 
prophecy  comes  from  the  lips  of  a  Gentile,  and  a  Gentile  a  Gentiie 
king  hears  the  message  first,  in  which,  besides  Israel,  the 
King  of  Moab  and  all  his  Gentile  successors  are  so  emi- 
nently concerned. 

Balak  (Waster)  saw  all  that  Israel  had  done  to  the 
Amorites.  He  knew  that  that  people  had  come  out  of 
Egypt,  and  out  of  a  cloud  of  glory  a  mysterious  God  had 
slain  the  proud  hosts  of  Pharaoh.  He  was  sore  afraid ;  Bauk  ■  fear, 
the  fate  of  the  Egyptians  and  Amorites  seemed  to  foretell 
his  own  ;  his  heart,  therefore,  is  filled  with  fear  and  hatred, 
and  he  desired  to  oppose  and  curse  Israel.  He  allied  him- 
self with  t  .;  elders  of  Midian.  It  is  nothing  less  than  the 
history  of  Anti-Semitism  in  a  nutshell.  Gentile  nations, 
Christian  in  name,  still  hate  and  fear  the  people  whom  no 

117 


Anti-Semitism. 


Who  was 
Balaam? 


\ 


ii8 

Pharaoh  and  no  soothsayer  could  overcome,  a  people  diso- 
bedient,  judged  and   suffering,   still  always   conquering. 
The  fear  and  hatred  of  Balak  had  its  origin  in  Satan,  the 
prince  of  this  world,  the  accuser  and  enemy  of  his  people, 
and  thus  it  is  still.     Like  Balak,  opposing  Gentile  nations 
and  kingdoms  will  yet  rise  in  fear  and  hatred  against  Israel 
before  Israel's  coming  King  will  sweep  them  aside,  and 
what  Balak  heard  from  the  prophet's  lips  in  his  day—  ♦^he 
complete  destruction  of  the  world-powers  by  the  appeaung 
of  the  Glorious  King  of  Jeshurun — will  be  the  fate  of  these 
nations.      Balak,  moved  by  Satan,  sends  for  Balaa.^,  a 
prophet  and  a  soothsayer.     Who  was  Balaam?    His  name 
is  a  terrible  one,  the  Devourer  of  People  ;  his  father,  Beor, 
the  Consumer;  his  native  place,  Pethor,  meaning  "inter- 
pretation."  He  must  have  known  Jehovah  to  some  extent, 
for  he  asked  of  Him  and  God  answered  his  request.     At 
the  same  time  he  was  known  for  his  skill  in  cursing  na- 
tions and  for  his  readiness  for  gold  and  silver  to  destroy 
them  by  his  powerful  spells.     He  may  have  practiced  his 
soothsaying  for  many  years,  becoming  rich  by  it,   when, 
probably,  one  day  he  heard  of  Jehovah,  who  had  done  such 
great  things  for  and  among  the  wandering  nation.     Most 
likely  for  selfish  reasons  he  sought  God,  like  Simon,  the 
sorcerer,  who  offered  the  apostles  money  for  the  power  to 
hciil  the  sick  ;  thus  Balaam  may  have  desired  the  acquain- 
tance of  God,  seeking  revelations  from  Him  for  the  sake  of 
gain,   and  Jehovah  revealed   Himself  to  him.     It  is  very 
significant  that  Balaam  is  mentioned  in  that  important  pro- 
phetic Epistle  of  Jude,  where  he  stands  as  a  type  in  the 


119 

great  apostasy  at  the  end  of  this  age.  "  They  cast  them- 
selves away  into  the  error  of  Balaam  for  hire."  Balak,  the 
representative  of  the  anti-Semitic  world-powers,  and  Ba- 
lafcii ,  the  half-hearted  prophet,  a  type  of  an  apostate  Chris- 
tendom, forming  an  alliance  against  Israel. 

We  cannot  follow  the  details  of  Balaam's  temptation  and 
fall,  nor  can  we  tarry  to  consider  the  miracle  of  the  speak- 
ing ass,  which,  alas,  is  in  our  times  so  often  ridiculed  by 
Christian  people  and  so  universally  disbelieved.  Balaam  is 
permitted  to  go  with  the  men  who  call  him  to  Balak  on 
condition  that  he  is  to  speak  only  the  words  which  God 
speaks  to  him. 

The  parables  which  Balaam  is  obliged  to  give  by  the 
power  of  God,  are  divided  into  four  parts.    He  utters  them  The  diTision  of 

his  parablM. 

from  three  points,  all  mountain-tops.  The  first  from  the 
high  places  of  Baal,  the  second  from  the  summit  of  Pisgah, 
and  the  last  from  Peor.  From  these  mountain-tops  Balak 
and  Balaam  had  a  good  view  of  the  camp  of  Israel.  Each 
one  of  the  three  points  is  nearer  to  the  camp  and  a  more 
complete  view  obtainable  from  them.  It  seems  Balak  tried 
to  diminish  the  number  of  Israel  and  their  strength  in  the 
eyes  of  Balaam,  for  h-^  ok  him  first  to  a  place  from  which 
he  saw  only  a  part,  most  part  'he  fourth  part  of  the 

people.  Seeing  that  i-is  scheme  failed,  Balak  took  Balaam 
to  Pisgah  ;  from  there  the  view  was  more  complete,  and 
then  at  last  to  Peor,  from  which  point  he  saw  the  twelve 
tribes  of  Israel  with  their  flags  in  camp.  Upon  each 
mountain  Balaam  had  seven  altars  erected,  and  two  sacri- 
fices, a  bullock  and  a  ram,  art  brought  upon  each  altar. 


m 


'm  i 


>f  s 


li  ■ 


1 20 

The  whole  proceedings  were  evidently  calculated  to  make 
an  as  impressive  and  solemn  as  possible.  On  the  heights 
of  Baal,  Balaam  says  to  Balak  :  "  I  will  go,  may  be  Jehovah 
will  come  to  meet  me,  and  whatever  He  may  say  to  me  I 
will  declare  to  thee."  He  went  to  a  bare  height  and  God 
met  him  there  and  put  a  word  in  his  mouth.  Next  is  Pis- 
gah  ;  here  Balaam  tells  Balak  to  stand  by  the  burnt  offer- 
ing, "while,"  he  says,  "I  go  to  meet,"  in  the  authorized 
version  it  says  "  the  Lord."  but  that  does  not  appear  in  the 
original.  In  Hebrew  it  reads,  "I  will  go  to  meet — yon- 
der." He  tried  to  impress  Balak  once  more  with  his 
mysterious  power,  and  in  proceeding  to  Mount  Peor, 
Balak,  utterly  disheartened  by  the  continued  blessing  of 
Israel  from  Balaam's  lips,  demands  that  he  is  neither  to 
curse  nor  to  bless.  Balaam,  however,  knows  that  it  pleased 
'the  Lord  to  ble.ss  Israel ;  he  no  longer  goes  out  to  meet 
with  enchantments;  he  drops  the  mask,  and  now  the 
Spirit  of  God  comes  upon  him.  Balak's  anger  is  kindled 
after  this  third  parable,  and  while  he  smites  his  hands  to- 
gether the  prophet  opens  his  mouth  once  more  and  utters 
the  sublimest  of  all  his  prophecies,  after  which  he  went  to 
his  place  soon  after  to  meet  with  his  cirrible  fate. 

I. 

And  now  we  will  glance  at  the  parables  themselves  and 
From  the  heights  studv  their  wonderful  meaning.    The  first  from  the  heights 

of  B««l.  '' 

of  Baal : 

"  From  Aram  Balak  hath  brought  me. 
The  King  of  Moab — from  the  mountains  of  the  East. 


i     I 


u 


121 


Come  curse  me  Jacob, 

Come  and  denounce  Israel ! 

How  shall  I  curse  ?    God  hath  not  cursed, 

How  shall  I  denounce?  The  Lord  hath  not  denounced, 

For  from  the  top  of  the  rocks  I  see  Him 

And  from  the  hill?  I  behold  Him. 

Behold  a  nation  that  dwelleth  alone. 

Not  to  be  reckoned  among  the  nations. 

Who  counted  the  dust  of  Jacob? 

By  number  the  fourth  part  of  Israel. 

Let  me  die  the  death  of  Jeshuruu, 

And  let  my  last  end  be  like  his." 
This  first  inspired  utterance  of   Balaam  speaks  uf  the 
general  character  of  Israel  as  the  chosen  people  of  God.   ftraei's ch*r- 
It  is,  so  to  speak,  the  foundation,  the  key-note  fur  all  he 
is  about  to  say  by  divine  inspiration  to  Balak.     We  may 
divide  this  first  parable  into  four  parts. 

I.  After  stating  the  fact  of  Balak's  call  and  his  wish  that 
he  should  curse  Jacob  and  denounce  Israel,  he  states  the 
impossibility  to  curse  and  to  denounce  —for  God  hath  not 
cursed  him,  He  hath  not  denounced  him.  In  the  original 
the  name  £1,  God,  stands  in  connection  with  Jacob,  and 
Jehovah,  the  covenant-keeping  God,  with  Israel.  When 
Balak's  deputation  came  to  Balaam,  God  had  said  to  him, 
"  Thou  shalt  not  curse  the  people,  for  they  are  blessed."  a bieaaed people. 
And  now  what  God  told  him  there  in  the  secret  place  he  is 
to  speak  here  in  public.  T  s  the  truth  which  we  find  all 
through  the  Word  of  God,  xsrael's  blessed  calling,  the  seed 
of  Abraham  blest  and  to  be  a  blessing.    How  many  have 


ita 


ii '' 


▲  wpArattid 
people. 


tried  to  curse  Jacob  and  to  denounce  Israel  ?  They  have 
never  succeeded,  for  Isaiah's  vision  has  been  fulfilled  in 
all  generations,  "  No  weapon  that  is  found  against  thee 
shall  prosper,  and  every  tongue  that  shall  rise  against  thee 
in  judgment  thou  shalt  condemn."  No  magic,  no  voice, 
no  power,  no  tongue  can  counteract  the  decree  of  God. 
Jacob  and  his  seed  is  blest  of  God.  Oh  that  men  would 
understand  it,  but  alas,  they  are  wise  in  their  own  conceits, 
and  boasting  against  the  broken  off  branches  they  think  of 
Jacob  as  accursed  and  denounce  Israel,  and  thus  dishonor 
God  and  make  Him  a  liar. 

2.  With  his  hands  before  his  eyes,  Balak  gazes  upon  the 
fourth  part  of  the  Israelitish  camp  from  the  tops  of  the 
rocks  and  from  the  hill  and  sees  a  second  general  character- 
istic of  the  people,  namely,  that  Israel  is  to  be  a  separated 
people.  Israel  is  Ho- Am,  the  nation,  and  as  such  different 
from  the  nations  and  not  to  be  reckoned  among  them. 

Here  then  we  have  the  destiny  of  Israel,  a  destiny  the 
same  for  all  times — a  peculiar  people,  separated  from  all 
other  nations.  As  far  as  Old  Testament  times  are  con- 
cerned, this  decree  of  God  can  hardly  be  denied  ;  but  many 
Christians  have  stated  and  believe  that  iu  these  New  Testa- 
ment times  Israel  has  ceased  to  be  a  peculiar  people,  and 
that  there  is  no  difference  between  them  and  the  other  na- 
tions. Experience,  however,  teaches  differently.  Truly 
the  seed  of  Abraham  is  to-day  mingling  with  the  nations, 
scattered  in  fact  among  all  the  nations,  and  there  the  sons 
of  Jacob  have  not  lost  their  peculiar  characteristics.  As- 
similation has  been  attempted,  and  quite  often  by  them- 


123 

selves,  but  rarely  if  ever  has  it  been  successful.  God  has 
kept  Israel  as  His  own  separated  people  as  truly  as  He  has 
separated  and  keeps  unto  Himself  by  His  Holy  Spirit  a 
spiritual,  heavenly  people,  the  church.  All  movements  en- 
deavoring to  rob  Israel  of  its  peculiarity  and  separation 
have  failed,  and  thus  Israel  remains  a  stranger  in  a  strange 
land.  What  a  tremendous  testimony  the  Zionistic  movement 
at  the  beginning  of  this  century  is  in  this  direction  !  It  is 
a  movement  to  establish  a  Jewish  state  for  the  Jewish  peo- 
ple in  the  Jewish  land,  and  in  itself  a  confession  that  as- 
similation with  other  nations  is  impossible.  In  speaking 
the  Word  of  our  God  to  the  scattered  Jews,  God's  future 
purpose  in  Israel  as  a  nation  must  not  be  overlooked. 

3.  In  the  third  place,  we  have  the  wonderful  increase.   An  increwing 

people. 

"Who  has  counted  the  dust  of  Jacob?"  The  promise  to 
Jacob  when  he  went  out  from  Beer-Sheba  was,  ' '  Thy  seed 
shall  be  as  the  dust  of  the  earth. ' '  It  stands  for  the  earthly 
promises  and  earthly  blessings  which  are  Jacob's.  What  a 
sight  it  mu't  have  been  for  Balaam  and  Balak,  standing  be- 
side their  smoking  altars,  and  down,  way  down  in  the 
desert,  tent  after  tent  is  to  be  seen  ;  but  still  it  is  only  the 
fourth  part,  and  appears  like  the  dust  of  the  earth — a  peo- 
ple having  passed  through  so  much  aflBiction  and  punish- 
ment, yet  in  spite  of  it  all,  strong  and  numerous  as  ever. 
In  looking  over  the  past,  a  still  grander  picture  presents  it- 
self to  us.  Israel  has  wandered  through  a  greater  desert 
and  through  greater  afflictions  and  punishments  than  ever 
before  ;  they  have  been  a  people  scattered  and  peeled,  yet 
how  wonderfully  God  has  kept  them,  and  more  than  ever  a  kept  people. 


iii 


AtlMlOIW 
PMPI*. 


if 


■  i  1  . 


From  Mount 
Plifah. 


124 

they  ftre  like  dust,  down -trodden  yet  ever  increasing  and 
multiplying,  to  the  astonishment  of  their  enemies.  Who 
counted  the  dust  of  Jacob  ?  The  question  is  often  asked, 
How  many  Jews  are  living  to-day  in  the  world  ?  We  tried 
to  give  a  conservative  estimate,  still  some  tell  us  it  is  too 
low  and  others  too  high.  The  fact  is  no  one  seems  to  be 
able  to  get  a  correct  number  of  the  Jews  living.  Surely 
they  are  increasing  rapidly  all  over  the  earth,  and  it  is 
more  true  than  ever  before,  "Who  counted  the  dust  of 
Jacob?" 

4.  Balaam's  exclamation  forms  a  fitting  conclusion  to  his 
first  parable.  ' '  Let  me  die  the  death  of  Jeshurun  and  let 
my  end  be  like  his."  We  do  not  think  that  Balaam  had  so 
much  the  physical  death  of  Israel  in  view  as  he  had  their 
hope  and  glorious  end,  the  glorious  end  of  ages  when  the 
God  of  Jeshurun  will  reveal  Himself  once  more  for  the  sal- 
vation of  His  people  and  brings  vengeance  upon  their  ene- 
mies. Of  that  glorious  end  which  is  Israel's,  that  glorious 
morning  after  a  night  of  storm  and  disaster,  he  has  here 
the  first  glimpse,  and  in  his  next  parable  the  Holy  Spirit 
puts  it  before  him  and  before  Balak  in  detail.  It  remains 
only  to  be  said  that  the  contents  of  this  first  parable  are  in 
part  a  repetition  of  God's  promises  to  Abraham,  but  now 
the  promise  is  not  given  to  a  member  of  Abraham's  family, 
but  put  into  the  mouth  of  a  Gentile  to  transmit  it  to  the 

Gentile  king. 

II. 

Next  they  are  on  top  of  Mount  Pisgah,  on  the  fields  of 
Zophim.     Balaam,  after  having  been  away  from  Balak  has- 


"5 

t*ns  back,  and  filled  with  a  greater  degree  of  inspiration,  it 
»>ems,  he  bursts  forth  : 

"  Rise  up  Balak  and  hear  ! 
Listen  to  me,  son  of  Zippor  ! 
God  is  not  a  man  to  lie  ; 
Nor  son  of  Adam  to  repent. 
Hath  he  said  and  will  he  not  do  it  ? 
Or  spoken  and  shall  not  make  it  stand  ? 
Behold  I  have  command  to  bless  : 
Yea,  he  hath  blessed  and  I  cannot  change  it. 
He  hath  not  beheld  iniquity  in  Jacob  : 
Nor  has  he  seen  travail  in  Israel : 
Jehovah,  his  God  is  with  him, 
The  shout  of  a  king  is  in  his  midst. 
God  briugeth  them  out  of  Egypt : 
He  hath  streu^-'h  like  that  of  the  wild  ox  : 
No  enchantment  there  is  against  Jacob, 
There  is  no  divination  against  Israel 
In  its  time  shall  it  be  said  of  Jacob  and  of  Israel. 
What  hatb  God  wrought  ? 
Behold  the  people  rise  up  as  a  lioness  ! 
And  as  a  lion  does  he  raise  himself  up  ! 
He  shall  not  lie  do    n  till  he  eat  of  the  prey. 
And  drink  the  blood  of  the  slain." 

What  an  awful  rebuke  this  was  to  unbelieving  Balak.   a  rebuke  to 

B«Uk. 

He  surely  had  expected  a  change  in  the  mind  of  that  God 
whose  aid  and  help  Balaaro  was  to  invoke.  Maybe,  he 
thou'jbt  that  God  would  once  more,  after  a  second  request, 


126 


Ood'i  gif  U  un- 
ohajigtMible. 


No  Iniquity 
Jacob. 


in 


■  H 


allow  Balaam,  as  at  the  time  when  Balak's  princes  came  to 
him,  to  speak  a  more  favorable  word  ;  instead  of  that  with 
au  awful  commanding  voice — for  thus  it  must  have  been — 
Balaam  shouts  to  Balak  to  rise  and  listen.     He  hears  now 
that  God's  promises  to  Israel  are  unchangeable,  they  can 
never  be  reversed.     The  same  truth  we  have  not  alone 
from  Balaam's  lips,  but  likewise  from  the  lips  of  Paul,  the 
servant  of  the  Lord,  who  after  giving  his  wonderful  pro- 
phetic testimony  concerning  his  own  beloved  Jewish  na- 
tion, cries  out  in  exaltation,  "  The  gtfts  and  calling  of  God 
are  without  repentance. ' '     God  is  ever  the  covenant-keep- 
ing God,  and  every  word  which  has  come  from  His  loving 
heart  through  the  prophets  to  His  people  Israel  He  will  yet 
fulfill.     Balak,  in  his  unbelief  and  his  ignorance,  as  well 
as  his  hatred  against  Israel,  is,  aias,  a  sad  type  of  Christen- 
dom, apostate,  disbelieving    the   promises  of   the  God   of 
Abraham,  ignorant  of  His  purposes  concerning  Israel,  and, 
therefore,  despising  and  cursing  those  whom  they  should 
honor  and  love.     Again,  in  this  parable,  we  notice  four 
principal  thoughts,  which  now  bring  us  a  step  nearer  to 
Israel,  Israel's  calling  and  Israel's  future,  just  as  Balaam 
and  Balak  were  on  Pisgah's  mountain-top  nearer  to  the 
camp  than  on  the  heights  of  Baal. 

I.  He  hath  not  beheld  iniquity  iu  Jacob  nor  seen  travail 
(or  perverseness)  in  Israel.  This  has  ever  been  a  mysteri- 
ous passage,  and  has  not  found  many  interpreters.  It 
seems  to  us  a  very  significant  fact  that  in  all  of  Balaam's 
parables  sin  and  guilt  is  never  mentioned.  However,  it 
d  es  not  say  here  that  Israel  is  without  iniquity  or  e\'il 


ia7 


That,  of  •'^'5^  "*•  ■ 


travail,  but  the  statement  is  that  God  hath  not  beheld 
iniquity  and  not  seen  perverscness  in  Israel.  Truly  Israel 
had  sinned  against  God  during  their  travels  in  the  wilder- 
ness. Israel  was  likewise  punished  for  it,  but  their  apos- 
tasy was  never  hopele.s.s.  In  all  their  iniquity  and  per- 
verseness  they  are  still  His  beloved  children,  and  the 
promise  is  theirs  very  definitely,  that  the  seed  of  Israel  can 
only  be  cast  away  for  all  that  they  have  done  if  the  heav- 
ens above  c^n  be  measured  and  the  foundations  of  the  earth 
searched  out  beneath.  (Jeremiah  xxxi :  36,  37) 
course,  means  that  it  will  never  come  to  pass.  But  more 
than  that,  to  Israel  belongs  the  promise  of  forgiveness, 
when,  indeed,  the  eyes  of  God  will  not  behold  iniquity 
in  Jacob  nor  will  He  see  perverscness  in  Israel.  In 
Micah,  the  last  chapter  and  last  three  verses,  is  one  of  woiOtTii 
these  sweet  national  promises  to  Israel,  "Who  is  a  God 
like  unto  thee,  that  pardoneth  iniquity,  and  passeth  by  the 
transgression  of  the  remnant  of  his  heritage  ?  He  retaiu- 
eth  not  his  anger  forever,  because  he  delighteth  in  mercy. 
He  will  turn  again  and  have  compassion  upon  us  ;  he  will 
tread  our  iniquities  under  foot,  and  thou  wilt  cast  all  their 
sins  into  the  depths  of  the  sea.  Thou  wilt  perform  the 
truth  to  Jacob,  and  the  mercy  to  Abraham,  which  thou 
hast  sworn  unto  our  fathers  from  the  days  of  old."  The 
Jews  have  a  ceremony  on  their  Ne  v  Year's  Day  when  they 
go  to  brooks  and  empty  their  pockets  into  the  running 
water,  casting  into  it  little  pieces  of  paper,  etc.,  repeating 
this  entire  passage,  hoping  that  the  time  may  soon  come 
when  God  ind^  ed  will  do  this  for  all  Israel.     The  Gentile 


^ 


JehoTAh  with 

iCTMl. 


Out  of  Egypt. 


Jwem.  ztI. 


128 

nations  in  their  unbelief  and  folly,  their  wickedness  and 
iniquity,  are  hastening  on  to  a  judgment  which  in  degree 
and  power  will,  no  doubt,  surpass  any  previous  judgment 
of  Israel,  while  Israel  is  rapidly  approaching  the  glories  of 
her  new  birth  when  Balaam's  vision  will  be  realized.  God 
looking  upon  Israel  and  no  iniquity,  God  beholds  His  peo- 
ple and  no  perverseness  ;  their  sins  forgiven  and  remem- 
bered no  more. 

2.  In  the  second  place  notice  the  statement  of  Balaam, 
"Jehovah  his  God  is  with  him,  and  the  shout  of  a  king  in 
his  midst."     This  was  true  in  part  when  Balaam  looked 
upon  the  camp  of  Israel.     I  wonder  if  Balaam's  prophetic 
eye  did  pierce  that  cloud  of  glory,  which  in  all  its  splen- 
dor was  resting  in  the  midst  of   Israel?     Maybe  it  did. 
Maybe  he  saw  in  that  cloud  what  the  prophet  Ezekiel  saw 
in  his  vision,  a  throne,  and  upon  the  throne  one  like  the 
Son  of  Man  surrounded  by  the  sign  of  the  first  covenant, 
a  rainbow.     There  was  no  king  in  the  midst  of  Israel  at 
that  time  ;  Jehovah  was  king.     Prophetically  all  points  to 
the  time  when  Israel's  travail  and  iniquity  will  have  an 
end,  and  He  whose  name  is  ever  Emanuel  will  be  the  King 
in  the  midst  of  His  redeemed  people. 

3.  In  the  next  place  we  notice  that  Balaam  speaks  of 
that  deed  of  salvation,  the  redemption  of  Israel  from  the 
house  of  Egypt,  which  stands  in  the  Old  Testament  as  a 
type  not  only  of  our  redemption  in  the  blood  of  the  Son  of 
God,  but  likewise  as  the  type  of  that  future  deed  of  God 
when  He  will  gather  His  outcast  children  from  the  four 
corners  of  the  earth.      Thus  we  read  in  Jeremiah  xvi.. 


139 


"  Therefore,  behold,  the  days  come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  it 
shall  no  more  be  said.  The  Lord  liveth  that  brought  up  the 
children  of  Israel  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt ;  but,  The  Lord 
liveth,  that  brought  up  the  children  of  Israel  from  the  land 
of  the  North  and  from  all  the  countries  whither  he  hath 
driven  them,  and  I  will  bring  them  again  unto  their  land 
that  I  gave  unto  their  fathers. "  It  is  important  that  in  the 
next  parable  Balaam  repeats  the  same  words  only  in 
another  connection.  Connected  with  the  fact  in  this  para- 
ble that  God  brought  Israel  out  of  Egypt  stands  the  state- 
ment that  there  is  no  enchantment  against  Jacob  and  no 
divination  against  Israel.  Egypt  could  hold  Israel  for  cen- 
.turies,  but  Egypt's  wickedness  ripened,  and  when  the  hour 
had  come  there  was  no  power  in  the  air  nor  upon  the  earth 
which  could  prevent  the  carrying  out  of  the  judgments  of 
God  upon  Egypt  and  mercies  upon  Israel.  No  enchant- 
ment and  no  divination  will  ever  frustrate  God's  plan  in 
the  future. 

4.  And  then  in  the  fourth  place  :  In  its  time  shall  it  be 
said  of  Jacob  and  of  Israel,  "What  hath  God  wrought?" 
Just  a  glimpse  is  given  here  of  that  time  of  conquest  in  Is- 
rael and  through  Israel,  when  the  people  shall  rise  up  as  a 
lioness,  when  he  shall  not  lie  down  till  he  has  eaten  the 
prey  and  drunk  the  blood  of  the  slain  ;  which  not  only 
Balaam  in  his  next  parables  has  to  make  plainer  because 
the  vision  now  hastens  towards  the  end,  but  likewise 
which  all  the  prophets  from  beginning  to  end  have  re- 
vealed. We  shall  see  more  of  this  in  the  third  p:>rable  of 
Balaam. 


What  bath  Ood 
wrought  ? 


I30 


From  top  of 
Peor. 


I: 


I  ^ 


III. 

From  the  top  of  Peor  Balaam  now  beholds  Israel  abiding 
in  their  tents  according  to  their  tribes.  The  Spirit  of  the 
Lord  comes  upon  him.  It  is  no  longer  a  meeting  with  the 
Lord  and  receiving  it  from  Him,  but  the  Spirit  is  upon 
him  and  through  the  Spirit  he  receives  a  higher  revelation. 
He  is  now  fully  persuaded  that  Israel  is  to  be  blessed  and 
he  yields  himself  without  resistance  to  God. 

"The  oracle  of  Balaam,  son  of  Beor, 

Even  the  oracle  of  the  man  with  eyes  that  had  been 
shut : 

His  oracle  wlio  heard  the  words  of  God, 

Who  seeth  with  the  vision  of  the  Almighty  ; 

Falling,  but  his  eyes  uncovered  : — 

How  goodly  are  thy  tents,  O  Jacob  ! 

Thy  tabernacles,  O  Israel ! 

As  valleys  are  they  spread  forth  ; 

As  gardens  by  the  river's  side  ; 

As  aloe  trees  that  Jehovah  planted  ; 

As  cedars  beside  the  waters  ! 

Water  poureth  from  his  buckets, 

And  his  seed  is  in  many  waters  ; 

And  his  king  shall  be  higher  than  Agag, 

And  bis  kingdom  shall  be  exalted. 

God  briugeth  him  out  of  Egypt  ; 

He  hath  strength  like  that  of  the  wild  ox 

He  shall  eat  up  the  nations,  his  adversaries, — 

Yea,  he  shall  break  their  bones, 


131 


And  smite  them  through  with  his  arrows, — 
He  couched,  he  lay  down  as  a  lion  ; 
And  as  a  lioness, — who  will  rouse  him  ? 
Blessed  is  he  that  blesseth  thee, 
And  cursed  is  he  that  curseth  thee  !" 

Balaam  conquered  by  God  is  now  made  to  proclaim  the 
victory  of  the  nation  of  destiny  and  what  God  will  do 
among  them. 

I.  We   notice   first   a   descriotion   of   Israel:     "Goodly  Goodly  tents 
tents,  beautiful  tabernacles  '  forth  as  valleys,  gar- 

dens by  the  river  side,  aloe  .-,  and  cedars  beside  the 
waters,  waters  poured  from  hij  buckets,  seed  in  many 
waters."  Every  Sabbath  day  and  at  every  feast  com- 
manded by  God  in  entering  the  synagogue  this  beautiful 
description  of  Israel's  happiness  is  chanted  by  the  ortho- 
dox Jews.  Still  it  has  not  yet  been  realized,  and  whatever 
spiritual  lessons  for  the  church  we  may  derive  from  it,  we 
do  not  care  to  follow  them  at  this  time.  Israel  still  living 
in  miserable  huts,  no  tabernacles  among  them,  far  from 
being  like  gardens  by  the  riverside,  and  aloe  trees  and 
cedars  beside  the  waters.     Truly  his  seed  in  many  waters,  Hisaeedinmanj 

'  waters. 

but  not  in  honor  and  peace,  but  dishonor  and  unrest.  The 
prophetic  eye,  however,  sees  it  all  accomplished,  and  Ba- 
laam's vision  leaps  over  centuries  and  centuries  to  the  time 
of  the  end  when  Israel's  unbelief  htx.>  ended  and  once  more 
the  tribes  are  gathering  to  take  possession  of  the  land,  their 
glorious  inheritance.  When  that  great  Sabbath  day  com-  The  great 
mences,  that  day  of  the  Lord,  Israel's  hope  will  be  real- 
ized, and  what  the  pious  orthv.dox  Jew  to-day  sees  in  faith 


»!• 


132 


i 


111 


The  king  and 
kingdom. 


He  brings  him 
out. 


and  often  repeats  with  tears  in  his  eyes,  will  then  be  a 
blessed  reality.  How  goodly  are  thy  tents  O  Jacob,  thy 
tabernacles  O  Israel.  In  the  highly  poetical  strain  we  re- 
alize the  type  of  the  living  Spirit,  the  water  poured  from 
His  buckets. 

2.  '.i  two  lines  Balaam  .speaks  of  the  king  and  kingdom 
which  is  to  be  exalted.  Agag  was  the  title  of  the  king  of 
the  Amalekites,  the  national  enemy  of  Israel.  Hainan  was 
an  Agagite ;  he  came  from  Aualek,  a  fitting  type  of  the 
Antichrist,  and  here  Balaam  sees  a  king  coining,  who 
is  higher  than  Agag,  than  all  the  powers  which  are 
anti-Semitic,  and  that  king  will  hp.ve  a  kingdom  which 
will  be  exalted.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  enlarge  upon 
this. 

3.  We  notice  now  for  the  second  time  the  repetition, 
"God  bringeth  him  out  of  Egypt,"  but  after  the  phrase, 
he  hath  strength  like  that  of  a  wild  ox,  he  changes  his 
words.  In  the  second  parable  we  saw  that  he  continues 
saying,  "there  is  no  enchantment  against  Jacob  and  no 
divination  against  Israel,"  while  in  this  he  says  after  stat- 
ing ' '  God  bringeth  him  out  of  Egypt,  he  shall  eat  up  the 
nations,  his  adversaries,  yea,  he  shall  break  their  bones  and 
smite  them  through  with  his  arrows."  Il  seems  in  the 
second  parable  Egypt  of  the  past  is  meant,  and  in  this  par- 
able, it  is  Egypt  of  the  future,  as  already  quoted  from  Jer- 
emiah, the  regathering  of  the  people  through  the  high  and 
wonderful  hand  of  the  Lord.  Connected  with  that  second 
Egypt,  that  great  and  wonderful  deed  of  Jehovah's,  when  the 
whole  nation  will  be  redeemed  and  spirit-filled  in  that  day  ; 


133 


1 1 


connected  with  that  is  the  judgment  of  the  nations,  which  are 
the  adversaries  of  Israel.  There  is  a  wonderful  similarity  be- 
tween the  story  in  Exodus  and  the  future  history  of  Israel, 
and  "-he  nations  still  unwritten  on  the  pages  of  history  and 
only  visible  by  eyes  of  faith  in  the  word  of  our  God,  who 
will  speak  again  and  not  keep  silence.  The  words,  ' '  he 
couched,  he  lay  down  as  a  lion  and  as  t  lioness  will  rouse 
him,"  is  a  quotation  from  Jacob's  prophecy  of  Judah,  but 
here  applied  to  the  entire  nation,  which  will  become 
through  the  lion  of  the  .ibe  of  Judah  the  lioness,  who  will 
lie  down  and  spring  upon  its  prey  and  drink  the  blood  of 
the  slain.  The  last  stanza  of  the  first  part  of  the  third 
parable  is  again  a  repetition  of  God's  promise  to  Abraham 
now  seen  in  its  fulfillment  ;  both  declare  from  an  enemy's 
mouth  how  surely,  how  fully  every  utterance  of  God  shall 
come  to  pass. 

However,  the  prophecy  in  these  parables  is  still  incom- 
plete, something  is  lackin<j  which  must  be  said.  Step  by 
step  the  Lord  and  the  Spirit  led  Balaam  up  to  the  consum- 
mation, and  while  Balak's  anger  is  kindled  and  like  a  rav-  Baiaks anger, 
ing  maniac  he  stamps  with  his  feet  and  smites  his  hands 
together,  crying  to  Balaam,  "I  called  thee  to  curse  mine 
enemies  and  lo,  thou  hast  altogether  blessed  them  these 
three  times,  flee  to  thy  place,"  and  while  Balak  denied  him 
the  honor  he  had  promised,  Balaam  in  a  divine  defiance, 
the  fire  of  God  burning  forth  from  his  eyes,  turns  once 
more  to  Balak  and  says,  "  Behold  I  am  going  to  my  peo- 
ple ;  come,  I  will  admonish  thee  what  this  people  shall  do 
unto  thy  people  in  the  last  days."     Then — 


a: 
V 

m 

4     ; 

r  ■ 

m 

«34 

"  The  oracle  of  Balaam,  son  of  Beor, 
Even  the  oracle  of  the  man  with  eyes  that  had  been 

shut! 
The  oracle  of  one  that  heareth  the  sayings  of  God 
And  who  knoweth  the  knowledge  of  the  Most  High  ; 
Seeing  with  the  vision  of  the  Almighty ; 
Falling,  but  his  eyes  uncovered  : 
I  see  him,  but  not  now  ; 
I  behold  him,  but  not  nigh  : 
There  hath  come  a  star  out  of  Jacob, 
And  a  sceptre  hath  risen  out  of  Israel, 
And  hath  smitten  through  the  sides  of  Moab, 
And  dashed  against  each  other  all  the  sons  of  tumult. 
And  Edom  is  a  possession — 
Seir  also  a  possession — his  enemies  ; 
And  Israel  doeth  valiantly. 
Yea,  out  of  Jacob  one  hath  dominion, 
And  destroyeth  whiit  is  left  from  the  city." 

And  he  looked  upon  Amalek  and  took  up  his  parable,  say- 
ing— 

' '  Amalek  first  of  the  nations  ! 
And  his  latter  end,  destruction  !" 

And  he  looked  at  Keuites  and  took  up  his  payable,  saying — 

' '  Firm  is  thy  dwelling-place, 
And  thy  nest  fixed  in  the  rock  ! 
But  the  Kenite  shall  be  ruined. 
Until  Asshur  carry  thee  captive  away. ' ' 


m 


135 


■  H- ' 


And  he  took  up  his  parable,  saying — 

"  Who  shall  live  when  God  appointeth  this  ? 
And  ships  shall  come  from  the  coasts  of  Kittim, 
And  shall  afflict  Asshur,  and  afflict  Rber, 
And  he  also     .     .     to  destruction." 

And  Balaam  rose  up  and  went  and  returned  to  his  place 
and  Balak  also  went  his  way. 

This  is  the  most  remarkable  parable  of  Balaam,  and 
surely  it  is  the  very  breath  of  God.  He  boasts  himself  of 
knowing  the  knowledge  of  the  Most  High,  seeing  with  the 
vision  of  the  Almighty.  After  this  introduction  he  speaks 
again  that  he  sees  Him  and  beholds  Him.  However,  not 
now  and  not  nigh.  We  recollect  that  in  the  first  parable  Notno«v. 
he  said  likewise  from  the  top  of  the  rocks,  "  I  see  him  and 
from  the  hills  I  behold  him."  There  it  was  the  nation, 
here  it  is  a  person  ;  namely,  the  King  of  Israel  whose  shout 
he  had  heard  before  among  the  wonderful  people.  The 
description  of  this  coming  King  is  glorious.  First  he  sees 
him  as  a  star  coming  out  of  Jacob,  and  then  he  calls  him  a 
sceptre  risen  out  of  Israel,  smiting  through  the  sides  of 
Moab  and  turning  against  each  other  all  the  sous  of  tu- 
mult. In  consequence  of  this  Edom  becomes  his  pos- 
session, likewise  Seir ;  all  his  enemies  are  conquered  and 
Israel  stands  with  the  King  and  does  valiantly.  It  is  a 
very  pronounced  Messianic  prophecy  relating  to  the  time 
when  the  kingdom  is  to  be  restored  to  Israel.  Many  hu second 
teachers  of  God's  word  have  made  a  sad  mistake  in  apply- 
ing this  prophecy  to  the  time  of  the  first  coming  of  the 


•r  ;  :.J 


hi 


i36 


I 


The  nations 
smitten. 


Lord  Jesus  Christ.  The  Jews  recognize  the  prophecy  as 
relating  to  the  King  Messiah.  One  of  their  false  Messiahs 
was  known  by  the  name  Bar-Chochva.  the  son  of  a  star. 
We  also  notice  that  after  he  has  taken  Edom  and  Seir  for 
his  possession,  Balaam  says,  "Yea,  out  of  Jacob  one  hath 
dominion  and  destroyeth  what  is  left  from  the  city."  In 
these  words  reference  is  made  to  his  reign  and  r  .le  in  the 
coming  age.  The  vital  point  of  this  last  parable  of  Ba- 
laam is  the  prophecy  concerning  the  fate  of  the  Gentile 
powers.  We  have  first  Moab,  who  is  smitten  through  the 
sides ;  the  sons  of  tumult  are  connected  with  Moab  and 
who  are  dashed  against  each  other  ;  Edom  and  Seir,  Ama- 
lek,  Asshur,  Eber,  and  the  ships  comin,,  roni  the  coast  of 
Kittim.  All  these  nations  having  passed  away  stand  nev- 
ertheless in  a  very  pronounced  relation  to  the  great  day  of 
the  wrath  of  the  Lord,  when  He  whose  right  it  is  will  ap- 
pear once  more.  In  fact  they  seem  to  come  again  to  the 
front  in  the  latter  day.  We  will  quote  here  a  remarkable 
passage  from  the  prophet  Jeremiah,  which  relates  to  Moab. 
Jeremiah  xlviii :  47,  "Yet  will  I  bring  again  the  captivity 
of  Moab  in  the  latter  days,  saith  the  Lord."  In  chapter 
xlix  :  6,  we  read,  "And  afterward  I  will  bring  again  the 
captivity  of  the  children  of  Amnion,  saith  tlie  Lord."  And 
in  the  39th  verse,  "  But  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  the  latter 
days  that  I  will  bring  again  the  captivity  of  Elam,  saith 
the  Lord."  All  these  nations  have  been  judged  in  the 
past,  and  their  descendants  are  hard  to  find,  yet  God  knows 
and  in  His  own  way  and  in  His  own  time  He  will  have 
every  one  of  His  words  fulfilled. 


il- 


ia? 

What  else  do  we  see  in  this  last  parable  of  Balaam  than 
the  judgment  of  the  world-powers?  Later  Nebuchadnezzar, 
another  Gentile  ruler  like  Balak,  had  a  dream,  and  he  saw 
the  great  image,  the  wonderful  picture  of  the  four  king- 
doms of  the  world  ;  and  Daniel,  a  true  prophet  of  Jehovah, 
not  like  Balaam,  interpreted  the  dream  for  Nebuchadnez- 
zar, l-ut  what  Nebuchadnezzar  dreamed  and  Daniel  saw  in 
his  vision  Balaam  here  sees  in  his  last  vision  from  the  top  judftment  upon 

.  .  world-power*. 

of  Peor.  Wonderful  description  of  the  time  when  the 
stone  cut  out  without  hands  smashes  the  proud  image  and 
reduces  it  to  dust !  Wonderful  vision  later  seen  by  Zecha- 
riah,  the  four  carpenters  who  nre  being  raised  up  to  con- 
quer the  four  horns  who  have  scattered  Israel,  Judah  and 
Jerusalem.  (Zechariah  i.)  There  is  no  doubt  that  Asshur 
stands  for  the  first  of  the  Gentile  empires,  that  is  Babylon, 
and  Eber  probably  for  the  other,  the  Medo-Persian,  while 
Kittim,  the  Isles  of  the  West,  stand  for  the  Greek  and 
Roman  rule. 

Oh  that  men  were  wise  and  would  consider  the  word  of 
our  God  ;  here,  indeed,  is  the  consummation  of  all  wisdom 
and  knowledge.  Prophecy  is  a  light  that  shineth  in  a  dark 
place  ;  it  shineth  until  the  day  dawns,  and  it  is  our  privi- 
lege and  our  duty  that  we  take  heed.  May  He  who  has 
spoken  to  the  children  of  men  at  sundry  times  and  in 
divers  manners  help  us  by  His  Spirit  to  think  His  thoughts 
over  with  Him,  enter  into  His  plans  and  purposes,  and 
above  all,  to  live  for  Him,  our  coming  Lord. 


I 


ISAIAH  XI.  AND  XII. 


Isaiah  XI.  ^iid  XII. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

THE  eleventh  chapter  is  a  continuation  of  the  prophecy 
contained  in  the  tent  h .  There  we  learn  of  the  onslaught 
made  upon  Jerusalem  by  the  enemy,  the  Assyrian,  and  how  Ti»AMyri*ii 
he  is  arrested  in  his  wicked  endeavor  by  the  sudden  '  r- 
ing  of  the  Lord.  The  Assyrian  of  Isaiah's  day  is  i..^  type 
of  the  last  Assyrian,  who  is  yet  to  fall  in  Israel's  land- 
Here  we  have  a  prophecy  which  reveals  the  Messiah  and 
His  Kingdom  and  shows  the  King  in  His  beauty,  the  one 
who  will  break  the  Assyrian  to  pieces  and  slay  the  wicked 
one  with  the  breath  of  His  lips  and  establish  His  Kingdom, 
ruling  in  righteousness  and  peace. 

The  chapter  may  be  divided  into  three  parts,  which  we 
briefly  consider. 

I.     King  Messiah  :  7i>ko  He  is  and  what  He  will  do. 

"And  there  shall  come  forth  a  shoot  out  of  the  stock  of  Jesse, 
aud  a  branch  out  of  His  roots  shall  be  fruitful ;  aud  the  Spirit  of 
Jehovah  shall  rest  upon  Him,  the  Spirit  of  wisdom  and  understand- 
ing, the  Spirit  of  counsel  and  might,  the  Spirit  of  knowledge  and 
of  the  fear  of  Jehovah.  And  His  delight  will  be  in  the  fear  of 
Jehovah ;  and  He  shall  not  judge  after  the  sight  of  His  eyes,  neither 
reprove  after  the  hearing  of  His  ears  ;  but  with  righteousness  shall 
He  judge  the  poor,  and  reprove  with  equity  the  meek  of  the  earth  ; 
and  He  shall  smite  the  earth  with  the  rod  of  His  mouth,  and  with 
the  breath  of  His  lips  shall  He  slay  the  wicked.  And  righteousness 
shall  be  the  girdle  of  His  reins,  and  faithfulness  the  girdle  of  His 
loins"  (verses  1-5). 

141 


^T^m 


143 


Higher  criti- 
clam's  appli- 
catlon. 


We  care  not  to  follow  the  infidel  views  of  recent  years, 
which  under  the  assumed  name  of  ' '  higher  criticism  ' '  deny 
that  these  verses  have  any  reference  whatever  to  Messiah. 
They  apply  it  to  Hezekiah  and  Josiah  as  well  as  to  others. 
These  critics,  ' '  wise  in  their  own  conceit, ' '  prove  only  too 
well  what  spirit  is  leading  them  and  to  what  these  blind 
leaders  of  the  blind  shall  come  at  last.  Their  deliberate  aim 
is  to  rob  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  of  as  much  of  His  glory  as 
they  possibly  can  and  deny  nearly  all  predictions  in  the 
Word  of  God,  which  foretell  His  first  and  His  second 
coming.  And  this  they  do  in  face  of  the  most  positive 
proofs  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments.  That  the  predic- 
tion before  us  refers  exclusively  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is 
to  our  mind  beyond  controversy.  Only  He  can  be  meant 
by  these  descriptions,  who  is  Immanuel.  Besides  this  do 
we  find  in  the  New  Testament  a  part  of  the  fourth  /erse 
quoted  and  directly  applied  to  our  Lord  (2  Thess.  ii:  8). 

We  have,  however,  here  again  His  first  and  second  com- 
ing blended  into  one.  The  passage  is  to  be  linked  with  the 
two  other  passages  in  previous  chapters  absolutely  mes- 
sianic. We  mean  chapters  vii :  14  and  ix:6-7.  We  learn 
there  that  He  is  to  be  born  of  a  virgin  and  the  Son  born  is 
Immanuel,  that  He  will  be  from  David  and  have  His  throne 
and  government.  In  chapter  xi:i-5  all  this  is  still  more 
Firrt  and  second  expanded.  His  humble  origin  as  Man  stands  first.  From 
the  passage  in  the  ninth  chapter  one  tnight  conclude  that 
this  child  to  be  born,  this  given  Son  would  come  when 
David's  house  was  still  in  a  flourishing  condition.  The 
prophecy  here  tells  us  that  the  royal  house  of  David  was  to 


S  Thess.  it :  8. 


coming. 


^m 


143 

be  cut  off  first  and  after  a  long  time  a  new  shoot,  a  branch 
out  of  his  roots,  should  spring  forth  and  be  fruitful.  Jesse, 
who  is  mentioned  here,  the  father  of  David,  was  a  poor  and 
humble  man  and  out  of  such,  a  shoot  should  come  forth. 

It  may  be  compared  with  a  magnificent  tree,  which  is  cut 
down,  but  the  root  remains  in  the  ground,  and  out  of  this 
root  comes  a  sprout.  Thus  when  the  house  of  David  was 
reduced  to  almost  nothing  the  shoot  and  the  branch,  the 
Zemach,  as  he  is  called  in  Zechariah,  came  forth.  Upon  zemach. 
Him  was  and  is  the  fullness  of  the  Spirit  of  Jehovah,  and  He 
is  the  One  who  will  judge  the  earth,  yea,  the  One  who  alone 
is  fit  and  fitted  to  rule  in  righteousness  and  reprove  with 
equity  the  meek  of  the  earth.  His  work  in  redemption  is 
of  course  not  seen  here,  it  is  implied  by  being  judge.  "He 
(God)  has  set  a  day  in  which  He  is  going  to  judge  the 
habitable  earth  in  righteousness  by  the  Man  whom  He  has 
appointed,  giving  the  proof  of  it  to  all  in  having  raised 
Him  from  among  the  dead  "  (Acts  xvii :  31). 

And  who  is  the  wicked,  whom  He  will  slay  with  the 
breath  of  His  lips?  As  indicated  above,  the  Second 
Epistle  to  the  Thessalonians  gives  the  answer.  It  is  the 
great  head  of  the  apostasy,  the  man  of  sin,  the  son  of  per- 
dition, the  one  who  exalteth  himself,  the  lawless  one.  It 
'  is  noi  the  Assyrian,  but  the  Antichrist  who  sits  in  the  tem- 
ple in  Jerusalem  (2  Thess.  ii:  i-ii). 

II.      The  Peace  He  brings  after  the  wicked  One  is  slain. 

•'The  wolf  also  shall  dwell  with  the  lamb,  and  the  leopard  shall 
lie  down  with  the  kid,  and  the  calf  and  the  young  lion  and  the 
fatted  beast  together,  and  a  little  child  shall  lead  them.  And  the 
cow  and  the  she-bear  shall  feed ;  their  yonng  ones  shall  lie  down 


Aoto  xvil :  81. 


144 

together  ;  and  the  lion  shall  eat  straw  like  the  ox.  And  the  sacking 
child  shall  play  on  the  hole  of  the  adder,  and  the  weaned  child 
shall  put  forth  his  hand  to  the  viper's  den.  They  shall  not  hurt 
nor  destroy  in  all  my  holy  mountain  ;  for  the  earth  shall  be  full 
of  the  knowledge  of  Jehovah,  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea.  And  in 
that  day  there  shall  be  a  root  of  Jesse,  standing  as  a  banner  of  the 
peoples ;  the  nations  shall  seek  it  ;  and  His  resting  place  shall  be 
glorious"  (verses  6-10). 

These  blessed  words  speak  of  the  peace  which  shall  be  on 
Prince  of  Peace,  earth,  when  at  last  the  Prince  of  Peace  has  come  to  rule  in 
righteousness.  They  are,  like  almost  every  other  gracious 
promise  in  the  Old  Testament,  spiritualized  and  applied  as 
being  fulfilled  in  this  present  age.  It  is  explained  that 
through  the  grace  of  God  man  with  an  evil  temperament 
can  be  changed  from  a  tiger  or  a  bear  into  a  lamb.  Other 
equallj'  ridiculous  interpretations  are  made  of  these  verses. 
Many  years  ago  we  talked  with  a  Hebrew,  who  gave 
among  many  other  arguments,  why  the  Messiah  could  not 
have  come  yet,  the  passage  before  us,  and  he  reasoned 
very  strongly  that  inasmuch  when  you  put  a  lamb  in  a  cage 
with  a  tiger,  the  tiger  will  devour  the  lamb  or  a  child 
playing  with  a  poisonous  viper  will  be  bitten  and  die,  that 
therefore  Messiah  had  not  yet  come.  He  said  when  Mes- 
siah is  here  the  bear  and  tiger  would  go  together  with  the 
lamb  an  J  the  calf  without  hurting  them.  When  we  told 
him.  not  knowing  better  at  that  time,  that  this  must  be 
explained  in  a  spiritual  way,  the  Jew  wanted  to  know  our 
authority  for  making  these  words  mean  something  else. 
There  is  no  authority  for  spiritualizing  them.  They  mean 
literally  that  which  they  declare.  The  peace  on  earth 
includes  the  deliverance  of  groaning  creation. 


Jewish  ezposi- 
tion. 


145 

When  Adam  was  unf alien  the  mighty  animals  b:«:ved 
before  him,  all  was  peace  and  harmony.     When  the  second  The  tecond  man. 
Man,  the  last  Adam,  takes  personal  control  of  the  habita- 
ble earth,  and  all  things  are  put  in  subjection  under  His 
feet,  that  peace  and  harmony  will  be  restored.     Thus  it  is 
written  in  the  Epistle  of  our  salvation,  in  Romans  viii : 
"  For  the  anxious  looking  out  of  the  creature  expects  the 
revelation  of  the  sons  of  God,  for  the  creature  has  been 
made  subject  to  vanity,  not  of  its  will,  but  ',y  reason  of 
him  who  has  subjected  the  same,  in  hope  that  the  creature  ciroaning  cr-« 
itself  also  shall  be  set  free  from  the  bondage  of  corruption 
into  the  liberty  of  the  glory  of  the  children  of  God.     For 
we  know    "jat  the  whole  creation   groans  together  and 
travails'  i.  together  until  now"  (verses  18-23).     The 

fulfiUm  ■  .  this,  fie  deliverance  of  groaning  creation, 
means  li  i^ixy  all  of  that  which  we  read  here  in  Isaiah  xi. 
And  when  will  it  be  ?  It  will  be  in  that  day.  It  is  the  day 
of  the  Lord,  when  He  is  manifested  in  Glory.  This  cor- 
responds to  the  statement  in  Romans  viii,  "  the  revelation  Romans  viii: 
of  the  sons  of  God."  Christ  the  firstbegotten  from  the 
dead  will  be  revealed  and  with  Him  the  many  sons  He 
brings  to  Glory. 

The  Jew  has  a  pc^  ':d  right  to  make  the  argument  that 
Messiah  has  not  come  yet,  for  groaning  creation  is  still 
undelivered.  But  he  overlooks  the  fact  that  there  is  a  first 
coming  foretold  in  the  prophets  which  was  literally  fulfilled, 
and  that  peace  will  come  and  the  reign  of  peace  when  He 
conies  the  second  time.  And  the  great  majority  of  Chris- 
tian believers  hold  that  Christ  came  in  humiliation,  and 


t 


'\. 


146 


World  oonrer- 
don. 


^ 


No  f  ulflUment 
now. 


they  forget  His  second  coming,  which  will  be  literal  fulfill- 
ment of  prophecy  as  was  His  first. 

World  conversion  is  indicated  in  the  passage  before  us 
in  the  sentence,  ' '  the  nations  shall  seek  it ;  and  His 
resting  place  shall  be  glorious." 

III.      The  Restoration  of  Israel. 

"  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  that  day,  that  the  Lord  shall  set 
His  hand  again  the  second  time  to  acquire  the  remnant  of  Hia 
people  which  shall  be  left,  from  Assyria,  and  from  Egypt,  and  from 
Pathros,  and  from  Cash,  and  fro^n  Elam,  and  from  Shinar,  and  from 
Hamath,  and  from  the  islands  of  the  sea.  Ar.J  He  shall  lift  up  a 
banner  to  the  nations,  and  shall  assemule  the  outcasts  of  Israel, 
and  gather  together  the  dispersed  of  Judah  from  the  four  corners 
of  the  earth.  And  the  envy  of  Ephraim  shall  depart,  and  the 
troubles  of  Judah  shall  be  cut  off ;  Ephra'm  will  not  envy  Judah, 
and  Judah  will  not  trouble  Ephraim ;  but  they  shall  fly  upon  the 
shoulder  of  the  Philistines  towards  the  W«st ;  togethe  shall  they 
spoil  the  sons  of  the  East ;  they  shall  lay  their  hand  upon  Edom 
and  Moab,  and  the  children  of  Ammon  shall  obey  them.  And 
Jehovah  will  utterly  destroy  the  tongue  of  the  Egyptian  sea ;  and 
with  His  mighty  wind  will  He  shake  His  hand  over  the  river  and 
will  smite  it  into  seven  streams,  and  make  men  to  go  over  dryshod. 
And  there  shall  be  a  highway  for  the  remnant  of  His  people  which 
will  be  left  from  Assyria  ;  like  as  it  was  to  Israel  in  the  day  when 
He  went  up  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt "  (verses  11-16). 

It  is  of  course  all  folly  to  look  for  a  fulfillment  of  this 
passage  in  any  past  or  present  event.  Yet  this  is  con- 
stantly done.  It  is  the  general  opinion  of  commentators 
that  these  verses  were  fulfilled  in  the  return  of  a  remnant 
of  Israel  from  the  Babylonian  captivity.  This  is  so  weak  a 
claim  that  any  one  who  reads  the  words  carefully  can 
point  out  the  arguments  which  sweep  this  false  exposition 
completely  away.  In  the  first  place  it  is  a  second  return 
from  captivity  and  points  therefore  to  a  time  beyond  the 


147 

captivity  in  Babylon.  In  the  second  place  the  dispersion 
of  Israel  here  from  which  they  are  brought  back  is  world- 
wide, including  the  islands  of  the  sea ;  the  Babylonian 
captivity  was  not  a  world-wide  dispersion  into  the  four 
corners  of  the  earth.  It  is  all  future.  This  great  bring- 
ing back  of  Israel  comes  with  His  glorious  return. 

Others  who  hold  the  second  personal  and  premillennial 
coming  of  the  Lord  have  at  least  partly  tried  to  give  this 
passage  a  present  fulfillment.  They  speak  of  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  tongue  of  the  Egyptian  sea,  the  smiting  of  the  Kgyptian  i 
river,  the  drying  up  of  Euphrates,  etc.,  as  if  it  had  refer- 
ence to  events  in  this  present  age.  Thus  some  think  the 
destruction  of  the  tongue  of  the  Egyptian  sea  means  the 
cessation  of  the  Turkish  empire.  We  even  heard  it  stated 
by  a  foreign  missionary  in  Palestine  that  'the  highway" 
was  a  prophecy  relating  to  the  railroad  from  Ja5a  to  Jeru- 
salem (!  !)  Where  will  people  end  with  their  own  private 
interpretation  of  prophecy?  No,  all  is  future  and  will 
come  to  pass  when  the  Lord  has  come  and  gathers  His 
people  again.  Then  He  gathers  not  only  the  dispersed  of 
Judah,  but  also  the  outcasts  of  Israel,  the  ten  tribes,  and 
they  will  be  one  nation  before  Him.  The  song  of  praise  of 
that  restored  people  we  shall  read  in  the  next  chapter. 


il 


' 


Exodus  XV. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

IT  is  a  wonderful  little  chapter  which  follows  the 
eleventh.  The  praise  which  is  uttered  in  it  is  the  praise 
of  redeemed  Israel,  brought  back  to  Immanuel's  land,  and 
richly  blest  there.  The  Lord  will  appear  first  and  do  all 
the  wonderful  things  which  passed  before  our  view  in  the 
last  chapter  and  then,  when  He  has  brought  His  people 
back  the  second  time  and  they  have  seen  their  King  in  His 
Beauty  and  received  Him  at  last,  they  will  break  forth  in 
this  glorious  hymn  of  praise.  Let  us  read  the  words  first 
before  we  comment  on  it. 

"  And  in  that  day  thou  shalt  say  : 

Jehovah,  I  will  praise  Thee  ;  for  though  Thou  wast  angry  with 
me,  thine  anger  is  turned  away,  and  thou  hast  comforted  me. 

Behold,  God  is  my  salvation  ;  I  will  trust  and  not  be  afraid  ;  for 
Jehovah  is  my  strength  acd  song,  and  He  is  become  ray  salvation. 

And  with  joy  shall  ye  draw  water  out  of  the  wells  of  salvation. 

And  in  that  day  shall  ye  say.  Give  ye  thanks  to  Jehovah,  call 
upon  His  Mme,  declare  His  deeds  among  the  peoples,  make  men- 
tion that  His  name  is  exalted. 

Sing  Psalms  of  Jehovah,  for  He  hath  done  excellent  things; 
this  is  known  in  all  the  earth. 

Cry  aloud  and  shout,  thou  inhabitants  of  Zion  ;  for  great  is  the 
Holy  One  of  Israel  in  the  midst  of  thee." 

When  Israel  passed  through  the  Red  Sea  and  God  had 
overcome  their  enemies  and  led  His  people  forth,  they 
sang  a  similar  song  of  worship  and  praise.  That  great 
deed  of  Jehovah  in  overcoming  all  their  enemies  and  de- 
livering them  is  the  type  of  other  deliverances  of  His 
earthly  people  and  the  song  in  Exodus  xv  is  a  foreshadow- 

148 


I 
I 


M9 


ing  of  their  future  singing  and  rejoicing.  However,  their 
song  after  the  passage  through  the  Red  Sea  soon  changed 
into  murmuring.  It  will  not  be  so  when  they  are  again  in 
the  land  and  their  backsliding  is  healed.  The  Holy  One 
of  Israel  will  be  in  their  midst  and  the  praise  will  continue. 
It  will  be  a  perfect  and  endless  praise. 

In  the  previous  chapter  we  'i  .d  the  description  of  the 
final  deliverance  of  His  people,  and  now  we  hear  that 
perfect  praise  of  a  delivered  and  richly  blessed  nation. 

"  In  that  day  "  it  is  to  be,  not  now,  but  in  the  day  of  the  "  in  that  d»y." 
Lord's  glorious  manifestation.  The  praise  to  Jehovah  is 
first  of  all  for  the  comfort  with  which  He  has  comforted 
His  people.  The  long  night  of  suffering  and  of  woe  is 
over;  divine  anger  which  hung  over  the  people  is  passed, 
and  the  people  acknowledge  their  sin,  "Thou  wast  angry 
with  me. ' '  The  comfort  is  forgiveness  and  peace  for  Jeru- 
salem. How  this  simple  praise  and  acknowledgment  of 
redeemed  Israel  brings  all  the  "blessed  promises  of  the  pro- 
phetic Word  into  view.  ' '  For  a  small  moment  have  I 
forsaken  thee ;  but  with  great  mercies  will  I  gather  thee. 
In  the  outpouring  of  wrath  have  I  hid  my  face  from  thee 
for  a  moment ;  but  with  everlasting  loving  kindness  will  I 
remember  thee,  saith  Jehovah  thy  Redeemer"  (Isa.  liv:7,  8).  iw'ah  "▼  =  7. 8. 
"  For  they  shall  know  me  from  the  least  of  them  unto  the 
greatest  of  them,  saith  Jehovah ;  for  I  will  pardon  their 
iniquity,  and  their  sin  will  I  remember  no  more  "  (Jereni.  Jerem.  zxzi :  34. 
xxxi:  34).  How  sweet  will  be  the  rest  and  comfort  for 
poor,  storm-tossed  Israel  at  last. 

The  second  stanza  of  Israel's  hymn  of  praise  ).    what 


ISO 

Jehovah  now  is  for  them  and  what  they  have  found  in 
Him.     And  who  is  this  Jehovah?    Who  is  He  whom  they 
worship?     Who  is  it  whom  they   acknowledge  as  their 
salvation  ?    Surely  no  other  than  the  Lord  who,  when  He 
came  the  first  time,  was  rejected  by  His  own.     Our  adora- 
ble Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  this  worshipped  Jehovah,  for  He 
is  truly  Jehovah  (compare  Isaiah  vi:  i  with  John  xii:4i). 
Long  had  Israel  refused  His  salvation,  refused  Him  who 
died  for  the  nation,  but  now  in  praise  they  declare  their 
perfect  trust    in   Him  and    their  deliverance  from   fear. 
"  Jah,  Jehovah  is  my  strength  and  song,  and  He  is  become 
my  salvation."     He  has  healed  His  people  and  they  ac- 
knowledge Him  as  their  all.     The  word  "Jah"  means 
Jehovah,  too,  and  yet  there  is  a  difference.     "  Jah  "  stands 
for  Jehovah  in   His  absolute  self-existence.      The  third 
verse  is  the  voice  of  the  Lord  calling  upon  His  people  in 
gracious  promise  :  "And  with  joy  shall  ye  draw  water  out 
of  the  wells  of  salvation. ' '     There  wUl  be  an  abundant  flow 
of  water.  His  Spirit  aid  His  mercy  will  flow  forth  like  a 
river.     Then  surely  the  earth  will  be  full  of  the  knowledge 
of  Jehovah,  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea,  and  streams  of 
uving  waters  will  flow   forth   from  a  redeemed  people. 
What  precious  water  Israel  will  draw  and  pour  out  from 
its  buckets  to  water  the  dry  places  of  the  earth !  (Num. 

Num.  xxiv:7,       xxiv:7). 

Israel's  mission  during  the  millennium  is  seen  next. 
They  will  declare  His  deeds  among  the  nations  and  mention 
His  exalted  name.  The  time  of  Psalm  singing  has  begun, 
and  like  the  book  of  Psalms  which  ends  with  "  Hallelu- 


151 


jahs,"  which  never  end,   "Praise  ye  the  Lord"  will  be  Pr»ta*. 
heard  from  Israel's  lij.-   and  the  nations  will  learn  praise 
and  worship  from  His  earthly  people,  the  head   of  the 
nations.     "  Let  this  be  known  in  all  the  earth." 

And  what  is  the  glorious  climax  of  Israel's  happiness 
and  blessing  in  that  day  ?  Why  does  Zion  cry  aloud  and 
shout  ?  He  Himself,  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  the  Lord, 
Israel's  King,  the  King  of  Kings,  is  in  the  midst  of  her. 
His  glorious  throne  will  be  established  in  Mount  Zion,  and 
on  top  of  that  high  mountain  the  joy  of  the  whole  earth 
will  rest  His  Glory,  seen  by  the  indwellers  of  the  earth 
(Psl.  cxxxii :  13,  14).  The  angels  will  then  ascend  and  p«i. cxixii ; n, m. 
descend  upon  the  Son  of  Man  and  glory  cover  the  earth. 


itil 


m 


WHAT  ORTHODOX  JEWS  BELIEVE 
ON  THINGS  TO  COME. 


Ml 


■  i  ,  : 


'SSS 


I! 


it 


What  Ortnodox   lews  Believe  on  Things 

to  Come. 

THE  expression,  "the  'v ,  ,r  blind  Jew."  is  quite  oftrn  j^» 
heard  frou   the  lip    of  Christian  believers.    No'  very 
long  ago  we  lieard  a  preacher  give  a  sermi  i  on  the  Kin^don 
of  aoA.  In  the  course  o    hi   address  he  pictured  very  vividly 
the   "foolish"  expectations  of  t:      Jewi-      people  at  the 
time   when  Jeeus  of  Na/areth  ap,     ire        mong  Ilisowa. 
and  uow  t-iey  ex  lected  1  im  to  es?  iblish  an  earth,    kin 
dom    Jewish  and  world-widi       "O      ourse,"  the  pi   ac^ 
continue'     "tbev  iv  re   bltnde^'       id  knew  noi  th' 


■IkI 


%U3iogy. 


ture       they  did  n 


xn 


tan;  I  that  the  kin 


^. 


m 


the 


Messiah  is  a  spuitu^l  l ''  fj^om,  a  kingdom  in  id  n 

the     orld,  and  ail  the     *ld    fesBoaent  descriptio  *»  of  tb 
Jewt    i  prophets  have   found  and  iw&  their  fulf   im     ' 
tiie  ^    ''•itual  kingdo«i   >f  God  or     le  church.     T 
Hs  ness.  hopec:    for   a  literal  ralfiUment,  u  er 

'^fac,  and  never  will  con    ,"  etc.     Poor  oi  ided  j 


il  !    GeutUe  blind- 
ness. 

1  should  pity  yourself    instead  of  pitying  the  blinded 


It  is  true  the  Jew  expected  the  Messiah  to  establish 

le  kingdom  of  heaven  in  the  earth  ;  and  ha    he  not  a  per- 

jt  right  for  such  an  exper  ition?     What  S-:rir'    -al  proof 

nas  the  above  preacher,  am     .vith  him  hundreds  of  ochers, 

for  the  stateiaent  that  "all  die  Old  Testament  predictions 

155 


;  \ 


w 

I- 


The  better 
knowledge 
of  the 
Syoagogrue. 


156 

of  the  Jewish  prophets  have  found  and  find  their  fulfill- 
ment in  the  spiritual  Kingdom  of  God  or  the  church?" 
Certainly,  there  is  no  Scriptural  warrant  for  the  spiritualiz- 
ing of  Old  Testament  prophecy,  applying  all  the  promises 
of  God  given  to  Israel,  which  is  always  the  seed  of  Abra- 
ham, to  the  church,  to  be  realized  in  her  in  this  present 
age.  This  is  an  awful  delusion,  and  much,  if  not  all,  of 
the  confusion,  unbelief,  higher  criti  ism  and  worldliness 
which  exist  to-day  in  Christendom  have  originated  from 
robbing  the  Jew  of  his  inheritance,  and  not  rightly  divid- 
ing the  Word  of  Truth. 

Old  Testament  prophecy  has  been  much  better  under- 
stood by  the  old  synagogue  than  by  most  Christian  com- 
mentators. Many  a  Christian  Doctor  of  Divinity  has  with 
a  few  sentences  dismissed  the  ' '  carnal ' '  expectations  of  the 
Jews  and  the  literal  interpretations  of  the  Rabbis,  and 
erected  his  own  phantom,  but,  nevertheless,  the  Jew  with 
his  ' '  carnal ' '  expectations  and  literal  interpretations  holds 
the  truth.  Yonder  old  orthodox  Jew  faithfully  keeping 
the  law  and  daily  expecting  his  Messiah,  the  Redeemer  of 
Israel,  waiting  for  Him  and  His  kingdom,  believing  in  all 
the  prophets  said  concerning  the  restoration  of  all  things 
and  Israel's  glory,  is  a  far  more  inspiring  sight  to  us  than 
many  a  nominal  Christian,  who  has  no  knowledge  of  the 
Word,  and  none  at  all  of  God's  purposes,  and  who  moves 
in  a  little,  narrow  circle.  Is  it  not  remarkable  that  all  per- 
secutions of  the  Jews,  for  nearly  1,900  years,  all  tortures 
and  massacres,  all  false  missionary  methods,  have  not 
shaken  the  firm   belief  and  hope  in   the  sure  word    of 


157 
prophecy  of  the  God  of  Abraham?    This  faith  and  hope.  8tiu«pect.ng 
which  no  Inquisition  could  quench,  is  not  stubbornness  ;  it 
is  divine.    Only  a  small  part  of  the  Jewish  nation  has  at 
least  outwardly  cast  aside  the  hope  of  a  future  glory,  and 
speaks  of  assimilation,  which  is  so  seldom  seen.    There  are 
many  orthodox  Jews  who  ..ait  as  eagerly  for  the  Messiah 
as  the  true  Christian  waits  for  God's  Son  from  heaven. 
The  Jew  has  in  his  many  and  ancient  writings  a  wonderful 
treasure,  which  a  Christian  never  dreams  of.    The  Targu- 
mim,  Medrashim  and  the  Talmudic  literature  is  filled  with 
valuable  suggestions,  read  and  understood  by  not  many 
Gentiles.      The  Jew  has  in  these  writings  a  wonderful 
eschatology  or  teachings  on  the  last  things,  the  end  of  this 
present  age,  and  the  world  to  come,  which  will  no  doubt 
astonish  many  of  our  Christian  friends.     We  hope  to  give 
a  few  of  these  remarkable  statements  made  by  the  Rabbis, 
and  give  numerous  quotations  from  their  writings.     All 
will  be  of  the  deepest  interest  to  all  true  students  of  the 

Word. 

The  great  centre  of  Jewish  eschatology  is  the  Messiah,  m^^*"* 
There  can  be  no  salvation,  universal  blessing  and  peace  un- 
til He  comes.  His  coming  is,  therefore,  the  object  of  faith 
and  hope  of  Israel.  The  New  Testament  puts  before  the 
true  believer  that  blessed  hope  of  His  coming  again,  as  the 
only  vrue  hope  for  His  church,  Israel,  and  the  world,  in 
much  the  same  way  as  the  Rabbis  in  their  writings  do. 
The  Rabbis  have  much  to  say  on  the  person  and  work  of 
the  Messiah,  the  conditions  and  signs  of  His  coming,  the 
events  connected  with  it.     It  is  no  easy  ta«k  to  collect  the 


ti'  1 


tifc| 


158 


MMwUh'i  reity. 


WhatHeHiah 
flnd*. 


leading  thoughts  for  Christian  readers  from  the  large 
amount  of  quotations  which  could  be  made.  We  call  first 
the  attention  to  the  Jewish  belief  of  a  Messiah  who  is  pr"- 
existent. 

The  Pre-existence  of  the  Messiah  is  often  mentioned  by 
the  teachers  of  Isrsel.  Shemoth  rabba  says  whatever  God 
created,  He  has  created  for  His  own  glory.  But  seven 
things  are  mentioned  which  were  called  into  existence  by 
God  before  the  creation  of  the  world.  Bereshiih  rabba  says 
the  law  (Thorah)  and  the  throne  of  glory  were  created  be- 
fore the  time  ;  also  the  Patriarchs,  Israel,  the  Temple  and 
the  name  of  the  Messiah  w^re  pre-existent  with  God.  The 
first  aim  of  God  in  creation  is  Israel  and  the  Temple,  the 
last  the  Kingdom  of  the  Messiah  in  the  earth.  According 
to  Tanchuma,  the  seven  things  created  by  God  in  eternity 
are:  "The  Thorah,  the  throne  of  glory,  the  Temple,  the 
Patriarchs,  Israel,  the  Messiah  and  repentance."  In  Jalkut 
Shimoni  we  find  the  Thora,  Repentance,  the  Paradise,  the 
throne  of  glory,  the  Temple  and  the  Messiah. 

The  beginning  of  the  Gospel  of  John,  "In  the  begin- 
ning was  the  Word,  and  the  Word  was  with  God,  and  God 
was  the  Word,"  contains  the  doctrine  of  the  old  syna- 
gogue. As  so  much  has  been  written  on  this,  and  not  a 
few  Christologies  refer  in  defense  of  the  eternal  and  abso- 
lute Deity  of  Christ  to  the  old  Jewish  sources,  we  will  not 
repeat  what  is  well  known. 

Messiah,  when  He  comes,  will  find,  according  to  the 
Rabbis,  the  world  in  a  sad  state  and  Israel  in  deep  misery 
and  ungodliness.     We  will  give,  however,  in  a  later  article 


159 


deeply  interesting  and  important  quotations  from  Talmu- 
dical  literature  concerning  the  conditions  and  signs  of  His 
coming—quotations  which  pre  significant  because  we  meet 
statements  which  agree  in  every  detail  with  the  New  Testa- 
ment predictions  concerning  the  conditions  which  will  exist 
at  the  end  of  this  present  evil  age  and  the  signs  of  His 

coming. 

Because  Israel  has  fallen  so  deep  and  a  great  and  true  re- 
pentance  is  necessary,  according  to  the  Rabbis,  the  prophet 
Elijah  will  come  before  Messiah  appears  for  the  redemption 
and  restoration  of    Israel.      Elijah  as  the  forerunner  of  Ki«g^toco«'« 
Messiah  (Mai.  iii :  23)  was  firmly  believed  in  by  the  Scribes 
and  Pharisees  when  Jesus  of  Nazareth  lived  (Matt,  xix : 
10,11).    It  is  still  believed  by  orthodox  Jews.    Prayers  are 
made  to  God  to  send  Elijah,  the  prophet,  and  every  Pesach 
(Passover)  night,  when  the  beautiful  and  inspiring  feast  of 
the  unleavened  bread  is  opened,  an  extra  cup  filled  with 
wine  stands  on  the  table  for  the  prophet  Elijah,  while  an 
empty  chair  is  reserved  for  him  at  every  circumcision.    An 
old  tradition  says:    "In  the  time  when  the  Holy  One, 
blessed  is  He,  redeems  Israel,  three  days  before  Messiah 
comes  Elijah  will  appear.     He  will  lift  up  his  voice  in  the 
mountains  of  Israel,  and  will  be  heard  from  one  end  of  the 
earth  to  the  other  {Jalkut).      He  will  prepare  the  way.     Tn 
Edijoth  we  read  that  he  will  clear  up  the  genealogies.     He 
will  settle  all  difficulties  in  Israel ;  the  money  on  account 
of   which  two  are  fighting  remains  deposited  till  Elijah 
comes  {Baba  metsia). 

His  greatest  work,  however,  is  teaching  and  leading  Is- 


IIM 


Uraalto  repent. 


MosMftlao. 


i6o 

rael  to  repentance.  In  the  sayings  of  Rabbi  Elieser  it  is 
recorded  that  Israel  will  never  truly  repent  till  Elijah 
comes.  Jalkut  Shimoni  says  :  "  Elijah  cries  and  weeps  on 
the  mountains  of  Israel,  and  calls  out,  '  Huw  long  will  you 
stand  in  a  desolate  and  deserted  land  ?'  But  then  for  three 
days  will  he  proclaim  peace  is  coming  for  the  world  ;  even 
the  wicked  will  rejoice  ;  but  he  says  to  them,  salvation  is 
for  Zion  and  her  children,  and  not  for  you." 

In  this  great  work  of  callinj  Israel  to  repentance  and  re- 
forming the  nation,  Elijah,  according  to  the  Rabbis,  is  as- 
sisted by  the  other  great  prophets  of  the  Old  Testament. 
Moses  is  especially  mentioned.  In  Devorim  rabba  we  notice 
the  following  very  remarkable  tradition :  God  said  to 
Moses  :  ' '  Just  as  thou  hast  given  thy  life  for  Israel  in  this 
world,  even  so  shall  it  be  in  the  future  one.  When  I  shall 
send  them  the  prophet  Elijah,  you  both  shall  come  to- 
gether." The  identity  of  the  two  witnesses  in  Revelation 
xi.  has  always  been  an  open  question  with  Biblical  stu- 
dents. That  they  are  persons,  and  not  nations  or  systems, 
that  they  are  witnessing  in  Israel's  land  and  to  the  people, 
is  now  little  disputed.  It  is  also  generally  believed  that 
Elijah  is  one  of  these  witnesses.  Many  people  still  hold 
that  Enoch  must  be  the  other.  More  Scriptural  reasons, 
however,  are  in  favor  of  Moses. 

In  Targum  jer.  we  read  :  "In  the  fourth  night,  when 
the  world  reaches  the  set  time — the  time  of  the  redemption 
— and  the  iron  yoke  is  to  be  broken,  Moses  will  come  out  of 
the  desert."  *  *  *  Other  prophets,  especially  Isaiah 
and  Jeremiah,  are  likewise  mentioned  as  forerunners. 


\il 


l6l 


Concerning  the  time  of  Messiah's  coming,  the  rabbinical  TheUmt  of  hu 
writers  are  likewise  not  silent.    It  is  a  Jewish  belief,  which 
many    Christian    teachers   of    the    Word    have    adopted, 
namely,  that  the  earth  will  exist  in  its  present  state  for  six 
thousand  years,  corresponding  with  the  six  days  of  the 
week,  and  to  be  followed  by  the  seventh  day— the  seventh 
thousand,  the  everlasting  Sabbath.     Two  thousand  years 
without  the  law,  two  thousand  years  under  the  law,  and 
two  thousand  years  under  Messiah.    According  to  many  of 
their  reckonings,  the  Messiah  should  have  come  long  ago, 
a  fact  which  is  freely  acknowledged  by  some,  and  the  non- 
appearance of  the  Messiah  is  explained  in  different  ways. 
Orthodox  Jews  say  that  God  keeps  Messiah  from  coming,    WhyHeUnie.. 
so  that  Israel,  His  people,  waiting  still  longer  for  Him, 
waiting  in  suffering  and  persecution,  may  receive  in  the 
end  a  greater  reward.     In  Joma  the  question,  "  Why  does 
Messiah  tarry  ?"  is  answered  with  a  statement  that  the  sins 
of  Israel  prevent  His  coming.     Others  count  the  time  of 
Messiah's  coming  from  the  destruction  of  the  Temple  by 
Nebuchadnezzar,  and  the  following  veiy  interesting  note  is 
loMVi^'wi  Aboda  zarra :    Rabbi  Chananja  says:    "If  some 
one  should  say  to  thee,  four  hundred  years  after  the  de- 
struction of  the  Temple  :    Buy  this  field  for  one  piece  of 
silver,  though  it  is  worth  one  thousand  pieces,  do  not  buy 
it,  for  in  that  time  Messiah  will  come,  and  we  will  be  re- 
deemed;    why   shouldst  thou   lose  the   money?"      These 
writers  have  no  doubt  learned  this  counting  from  the  de- 
struction of   the  Temple  from   the   prophecy   of   Daniel, 
chapter  ix.     In  other  places  the  years  4231  and  4291  after 


m 


l62 


Setting  the  day. 


False  Christs. 


Sifrns  of  Hla 
coming. 


the  creation  of  the  earth  are  given  as  the  years  when  Mes- 
siah will  surely  come. 

In  our  times  many  Christian  believers  occupy  themselves 
with  figuring  out  the  time  when  our  blessed  Lord  will  come 
again ;  this  is  not  only  unscriptural,  but  a  snare.  Much 
harm  has  come  through  the  setting  of  days  and  years,  and 
the  enemy  has  always  used  these  failures  to  bring  prophetic 
teachings  into  disrepute.  The  same  setting  of  times  and 
expectancy  seems  to  have  been  the  case  at  different  times 
among  the  Jews,  especially  before  Jesus  of  Nazareth  ap- 
peared, and  many  times  after  that,  when  clever  fanatics  or 
deceivers  rose  up  among  the  Jews,  proclaiming  themselves 
as  Messiah,  believed  in  by  many,  and  ending  in  failure  and 
shame.  Zangwill  in  his  book,  "The  Dreamers  of  the 
Ghetto,"  gives  a  good  history  of  one  of  these  impostors. 
Very  true,  says  the  Tar  gum  to  Koheleth  (Ecclesiastes), 
' '  the  day  on  which  the  Messiah  comes  is  a  secret. ' ' 

In  the  Gospel  of  Matthew  we  read  that  the  disciples  came 
to  the  Lord,  while  He  rested  on  the  Mount  of  Olives,  and 
put  two  questions  to  Him  :  ' '  Tell  us  when  shall  these  things 
be,  and  what  shall  be  the  sign  of  Thy  coming  and  of  the 
end  of  the  age?"  These  questions  show  that  the  disciples 
must  have  understood  in  some  measure  the  future  glory 
and  coming  again  of  their  Lord  and  Master.  The  most  in- 
teresting fact,  however,  is  in  the  question  they  put  to  Him 
about  the  sign  of  His  coming.  Much  about  the  signs  of 
the  coming  of  Messiah  is  recorded  in  Jewish  traditions,  and 
it  is  a  wonderful  fact  that  the  utterances  of  many  of  the 
old  wise  xnen  and  teachers  in  Israel  agree  with  the  sayings 


i63 


The  travail  of  the 
Heuiab. 


of  our  Lord  and  His  apostles.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that 
the  Spirit  of  God  did  enlighten  many  of  the  old  Jewish 
writers,  and  they  foretell  the  conditions  correctly  which 
will  prevail  when  the  King  of  Glory  comes. 

Bereshith  rabba  and  the  Medr.  to  Shir  Hashirim  (Song 
of  Solomon)  has  many  of   these  remarkable  predictions, 
likewise  the  tract  Shabbath,  Sota,  Pesikta,  rab.,  Sanhedrin 
and  the  Jalkut  Shimoni.     The  signs  given  are  signs  among 
the  nations  and  in  Israel.    The  years  preceding  the  coming 
of   the  Messiah  are  years  of   dissolution   for  the  entire 
world,  and  that  time  is  called  "The  travail  of  the  Mes- 
siah."    With  travail  Messiah  is  to  appear.     One  kingdom 
will  be  against  the  other,  and  one  will  try  to  overcome  the 
other.      How  clearly    this   corresponds  with  the  Lord's 
words,  ' '  Ye  shall  hear  of  wars  and  rumors  of  wars ;  na- 
tion shall  rise  against  nation  and  kingdom  against  king- 
dom."   The  Rabbis  state  also  that  many  plagues  will  come 
upon  the  entire  earth,  and  that  Israel  will  sufiFer  with  all 
the  nations.      Among  the  plagues  are  mentioned,   "the 
sword,  pestilence,  famine  and  tribulations."     At  last  there 
will  be  terrible  signs  in  nature,  in  heaven  and  in  eartb,  and 
a  terrible  earthquake  will  shake  the  foundation  of  the  earth.  Earthquake. 
{Pesikta  and  Sota.)     It  is  indeed  remarkable  that  the  phy- 
sical phenomena  are  placed  at  the  end  of  the  tribulation  by 
the  Jewish  writers,  being  the  true  place  where  they  belong, 
in  harmony  with  the  words  of  Jesus :  "  Immediately  after 
the  tribulation  of  those  days  shall  the  sun  be  darkened,  and 
the  moon  shall  not  give  her  light,  and  the  stars  shall  fall 
from  heaven  and  the  powers  of    the  heavens  shall    be 


:i^ 


i;5 


\m 


'\. 


I 


^'.j^iK^av 


ia«ii"-t<:-w1B'SR 


tMy. 


Th«  time  of 
Jacob'* 
trouble. 


Anticlirist. 


164 

Shaken."  Sanhedrin  says  :  In  the  last  seven  years  before 
the  Messiah,  the  Son  of  David,  comes,  every  year  will  have 
its  pecuUar  trouble,  till  at  last,  toward  the  end  of  the  sev- 
enth  year,  the  Messiah  will  come. 

But  there  are  still  more  remarkable  predictions  which 
harmonize  with  Paul's  prophecies  in   i  Tim.  iv.i.  etc., 
2  Tim.  iii :  1-7,  and  other  prophecies  in  the  Old  and  New 
Testaments  concerning  the  last  days.    Israel  will  have  sunk 
down  into  the  deepest  depths  of  unbelief  and  wickedness. 
The  wisdom  of  the  teachers  of  the  Scriptures  will  be  hated, 
and  the  few  who  are  afraid  of  sin  are  being  despised,  while 
the  Law  is  no  longer  studied.     All  the  good  customs  will 
be  discontinued  ;    no  one  hopes  any  longer  for  a  Messiah. 
Before  Messiah  comes  immorality  will  increase  at  a  fright- 
ful rate.     (The  days  of  Lot.)     Disobedience  and  violence 
against  father  and  mother  will  be  universal.     The  son  will 
hate  the  father  and  the  daughter  lift  up  her  hand  against 
her  mother.     It  will  be  a  time  when  no  truth  is  found  in 
the  earth— a  time  of  universal  lawlessness,  anarchy.     To 
make  the  confusion  still  greater,  the  tract  Sanhedrin  says, 
that  false  Messiahs  will  appear.     Again  we  refer  the  reader 
to  the  Olivet  discourse  of  our  Lord.     He  said  :  "For  there 
shall  arise  false  Christs  and  false  prophets,  and  they  shall 
show  great  signs  and  wonders."     Rabbi  Joshua  says,  con- 
cerning the  repentance  which  Israel  will  do  at  last  before 
Messiah  comes  :  "The  Holy  One  will  give  to  Israel  a  king, 
whose  decrees  and  whose  rule  will  be  much  harder  than 
Haman's,  and  under  him  Israel  wiUrepent."    This  king  no 
doubt  is  Antichrist,  of  whojn  Haman  is  a  type. 


165 


The  similarity  in  these  Jewish  writings  with  the  New 
Testament  is  very  striking.  This  ought  to  be  very  con- 
vincing to  the  learned  Hebrew,  and  help  him  to  see  in 
Jesus  of  Nazareth,  Him  who  is  the  true  Hope  of  His  people. 

We  desire  to  add  to  the  interesting  statements  about  the 
orthodox  Jews'  belief  concerning  the  time  and  conditions 
previous  to  Messiah's  coming  the  following  quotations  from 
the  Medrash  to  Shir-Ha-Shirim  : 

Rabbi  Chija  says ;  The  days  when  Messiah  comes  there 
will  be  a  great  pestilence  over  the  entire  earth.  All  the 
wicked  will  perish.  "  And  the  vines  are  in  blossom  ;  they 
give  forth  their  fragrance"  (Song  of  Sol.  ii :  13).  This 
means  the  saved  remnant,  of  whom  Isaiah  says  (chapter 
iv :  3),  "  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  that  be  that  is  left  in  Zi  . 
and  he  that  remaineth  in  Jerusalem  shall  be  called  holy. ' ' 

Rabbi  Jochunan  says :  "  Seven  years  of  trouble  come  be- 
fore Messiah  comes. ' '  The  first  year  before  the  Son  of  David 
comes  the  prophecy  of  Amos  (chapter  iv :  7)  will  be  ful- 
filled :  "  I  also  have  withholden  the  rain  from  you,"  etc. 
In  the  second  year  (of  tribulation)  there  will  be  six  months 
of  famine.  In  the  third  year  there  will  be  the  great  fam- 
ine. Many  men,  women  and  children  will  die  and  the 
pious  will  be  few.  The  Law  and  the  Prophets  will  be  for- 
gotten by  the  people  of  Israel.  The  last  years  will  bring 
signs  in  heaven  and  wars,  and  at  the  end  of  the  seventh 
year  the  Son  of  David  will  come. 

Another  Rabbi  says  :  "When  Messiah  comes  He  will  find 
no  truth  (Isaiah  lix  :  15).  The  generation  He  will  find  will 
be  like  dogs." 


Til*  ramoKnt. 


8eTeiiy«»rt' 
troubl*. 


Son  of  Dari4. 


I 


Messiah  and 
Moses. 


An  interesting 
comparison. 


i66 

Rabbi  Levi  says :  When  thou  seest  one  generation  after 
the  other  d:3pising  God  and  His  Anointed,  then  thou  may- 
est  hope  that  the  King  Messiah  will  soon  appear,  as  it  is 
written  in  the  Ixxxix  Psalm,  "Wherewith  Thine  enemies 
have  reproached,  O  Lord ;  wherewith  they  have  reproached 
the  footsteps  of  Thine  Anointed. ' '  But  in  the  last  verse  of 
the  Psalm  we  read.  "Blessed  be  the  Lord  for  evermore. 
Amen  and  amen. ' ' 

Much  could  be  said  on  the  teachings  of  the  Old  Syna- 
gogue concerning  the  person  of  the  Messiah,  His  birth  and 
coming  into  the  world,  etc.    We  call  attention  to  the  fact 
that  in  many  of  the  rabbinical  writings  a  parallel  is  drawn 
between  Moses  and  Messiah  {Tanchuma,  Schemoth  rabba, 
Jalkut  Schimoni,  etc.)     Moses  had  received  from  the  Lord 
the  promise,  I  will  raise  them  up  a  Prophet  from  among 
their  brethren  like  unto  thee.     Peter,  filled  with  the  Holy 
Spirit,  applies  in  his  sermon  this  passage  to  the  Messiah. 
The  modern  Jewish  interpreters  of  the  Word  of  God  deny 
that  the  promise  has  any  reference  to  the  coming  of  the 
Messiah,  but,  as  stated  above,  the   older   Jewish  Rabbis 
speak  of  the  Messiah  as  a  second  Moses.     Just  as  Moses 
grew  up  in  the  house  of  Pharaoh,  without  Pharaoh  know- 
ing  that  in  his  house  the  future  judge  through  whom  God 
was  to  avenge  His  people  was  dwelling,  thus  the  Messiah, 
through  wiom  God  will  judge  the  world,  will  dwell  un- 
known in  Edom— here  the  Roman  empire  ( Tanchuma  and 
Schemoth  rabba).     This  is  a  very  interesting  comparison, 
which  has  escaped   many  a  Christian   commentator    and 
pr'-acher,     Still  more  striking  is  the  statement  which  we 


1^ 


x67 


find  in  Jalkut  Shimoni :  ' '  Israel  will  be  a  long  time  in  tribu- 
lation after  the  birth  of  His  Redeemer."  Here  we  may  no- 
tice again  the  story  of  Moses.  Not  till  Moses  came  the 
second  time  was  there  a  na  onal  deliverance  for  Israel ; 
however,  he  was  their  deliverer  all  the  same,  though  re- 
jected for  forty  years.  Israel  is  now  in  the  experience  of 
the  tribulation  in  Bgypt.  waiting  for  the  return  of  their 
Moses.     On  account  of  this  parallel,  the  Messiah  is  called   waiting  fur  Hi* 

return. 

by  the  name  the  Deliverer.  In  Ruth  rabba  Moses  is  called 
the  first  Deliverer.  As  Moses  led  Israel  out  of  Egypt,  so 
shall  the  Messiah  effect  the  last  deliverance  and  lead  His 
people  from  the  dispersion  into  the  Land  of  the  Fathers 
{Beresh.  rabba  and  Tanchuma).  The  Rabbis  likewise  Ije- 
lieve  that  this  second  great  deliverance  cannot  take  place 
without  the  judgment  over  the  powers  :n  the  world  (the 
nations),  just  as  Pharaoh  and  his  house  was  judged.  The 
Targum  Jonathan  to  Isaiah  has  much  te  say  on  the  conse- 
quences of  that  deliverance.  Messiah  will  rebuild  Jerusa-  Rebuilding  j.ru. 
lem  and  the  Temple,  and  establish  His  Kingdom  over  the  '*'*'"" 
nations,  etc.     Of  this  more  later. 

We  have  now  to  speak  of  a  very  strange  and  interesting 
doctrine  in  the  orthodox  Jewish  belief,  the  teaching  con- 
cerning Messiah,  the  Son  of  Joseph.  According  to  this  be- 
lief Israel  has  two  persons  who  are  their  Messiah.  The 
first  one,  Messiah  the  Son  of  Joseph,  is  to  be  killed  and  then 
will  come  the  second,  the  Messiah  the  Son  oj  David.  It 
seems  to  us  there  are  two  reasons  for  this  belief.  The  first 
is  the  Jews  knew  of  the  early  Christian  teachings  concern- 
ing a  second  coming,  and  they  knew  likewise  the  danger 


Two  Meuiahi. 


Ill 

u 


I ; 


I 


168 

which  came  from  such  teachia^  and  hence  this  invention. 

In  the  second  place  the  prophecy  of  a  suffering  and  dying 

servant  of  the  Lord  or  the  Messiah  (Isaiah  liii.).  was  a 

,^uu..t««-  stumblmg-block    to  them,   and  they    were    unwilling  to 

ui.>t block.       ^^.^^^   ^^^  ^j    ^^^  g^^  Qf    David,  with  'vhom  in  their 

minds  IcingAip  and   world-rule    was    closely   associated, 
therefore  another  Messiaii  of  an  inferior  degree  must  come 
before  the  victorious  Son  of  David ;  and  this  Messiah,  the 
Son  of  Joseph,  is  to  suffer  for  Israel's  sin,   and  to  open 
the  way  for  the  coming  of  the  King  Messiah.     We  have 
spoken  with  many  orthodox  Jews  on  thi«  doctrine,  and 
proved  to  them  from  the  Scriptures  that  there  is  only  one 
Messiah,  who  suffered  once,  and  who  will  come  again  in 
glory  to  build  once  more  the  tabernacle  of  David  which  is 
fallen  down.     We  have  pointed  out  to  them,  and  that  not 
without  success,  that  when  Messiah  the  Son  of  David  will 
at  last  appear,  He  will  have  wounds  in  His  hands,  He  will 
be  the  One  who  was  pierced,  and  that  His  wounds  in  His 
hands  are  the  final  proof  for  His  people  Israel  that  He  is 
their  Elder  Brother.  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  who  suffered  and 
died,  is  risen  and  glorified,  seated  at  the  right  hand  of  Je- 
hovah, and  now  once  more  revealed  in  majesty  and  glory 
as  the  King  of  Kings. 

We  give  a  few  short  quotations  from  the  Rabbis  about 
the  Messiah  the  Son  of  Joseph  and  the  Messiah  the  Son  of 
David.  The  Targuni  to  the  Song  of  Solomon  says  :  ' '  There 
are  two  persons  who  redeem  thee.  Messiah  the  Son  of  David 
and  Messiah  the  Son  of  Ephraim  (Joseph)."  Emek  Ham- 
meUch  calls  Him  the  Messiah,  Son  of  Joseph,  a  descendant 


f 


169 

of  Jeroboam,  and  others  say  that  He  is  the  Redeemer  for 

the  ten  tribes  only.     The  Son  of  Joseph  serves  the  Son  of 

David.      They  are  like  Moses  and  Aaron  together :    the 

Messiah,  Son  of  Joseph,  is  Aaron  (Priest),  and  the   Mes-   priwt  ud  King. 

siah,  Son  of  D&vii,  Moses  (King,   Deliverer).      Messiah, 

Son  of  Joseph,  gathers  the  ten  lo«t  tribes  together  and  leads 

them  to  Palestine.     There  He  becomes  the  Leader  of  the 

ten  tribes,  but  fpUs  in  battle  against  the  armies  of  Gog  and 

Magog.     Accordiii-'  to  others,  Messiah,  Son  of  Joseph,  is 

killed  innocently  m  the  service  of  His  people,  while  the 

Messiah,  Son  of   David,  has   an  immortal  body  and  life 

(Succa).    The  mos    remarkable  passage  is  the  one  found  in 

Luckoth  Ha-Brith  :  "The  Messiah,  Son  of  Joseph,  will  not 

come  in  His  own  interest  but  for  the  sake  of  Messiah,  the 

Son  of  David ;  for  Messiah,  the  Son  of  Joseph,  gives  His 

life  and  dies,  and  His  blood  shall  make  atonement  for  the  Atonement. 

sins  of  the  people. ' ' 

Oh,  that  poor  blinded  Israel  could  see  to-day  that  there 
)8  truly  a  Messiah  who  has  given  His  life  and  who  died,  in 
whom  we  have  redemption  through  His  blood.  Oh,  tliat 
they  could  understand  that  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  His 
Son  cleanses  us  from  all  sin.  The  remnant,  according  t9 
the  election  of  grace,  is  now  being  called  and  accepts  Jesus, 
while  the  rest  of  the  nation  will  continue  in  unbelief  till, 
at  the  end  of  the  great  tribulation,  the  Son  of  David,  tnis 
same  Jesus,  comes  again,  and  then  they  will  look  upon  Him, 
the  Pierced  One. 

The  most  interesting  part  in  the  old  orthodox  Jewish 
belief  concerninjj  the  last  things,  is  now  before  us.     It  i 


\\  % 


\\ 


1-41-  (H'V'u.w»jiy.,iiAi ' 


'Jl!...,..tiiU.'.'i' 


wmmmm 


Israel's  redemption  and  the  first  resurrection.    The  lat- 
ter is  always  connected  with  that  coming  salvation  and 
restoration    of    Israel.      We    wished    before    that    poor 
blinded  Israel  might  to-day  see  that  there  is  truly  a  Mes- 
siah who  has  given  His  life  for  the  redemption  of  His  people 
—but,  alas !  the  nation  as  such  does  not  see  that  in  our  day. 
But  when  we  come  to  study  the  rabbinical  writings  and  com- 
mentaries concerning  the  hope  of  Israel,  the  restoration  and 
first  resurrection,  we  soon  find  that  we  need  no  longer  to  pity 
Israel's  blindness,  but  it  is  now  in  order,  to  think  of  the  blind- 
ness which  in  these  things  has  happened  to  the  Gentiles. 
The  redemption  of  Israel  and  the  first  resurrection  b 
RMurneUon.       connected  in  Jewish  tradition  with  the  appearing  of  the 
Messiah,  the  Son  of  David.     He  is  called  the  Great  Deliv- 
erer, and  when  He  comes  Israel  will  be  delivered  from  the 
bondage  of  the  nations  which  commenced  with  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  temple  by  Nebuchadnezzar.    Not  only  is  Moses 
the  first  deliverer  a  type  of  the  Messiah,  the  second  one, 
but  also  the  redemption  from  the  hou^e  of  bondage  Egypt 
s  a  type  of  the  greater  deliverance  from  all  nations.    (Jere- 
miah xvi :  15,  16).     According  to  Ptsikta,  Messiah  begins 
that  redemption  Uke  Moses  did ;    He  reveals  Himself  and 
then  disappears  for  a  time.    A  number  of  writings  say  that 
His  disappearance  will    last  for  forty-five  days,   during 
which  time  there  will  be  great  trouble  oj  earth,  while  His 
faithful  ones  will  be  miraculously  kept.     After  that  time 
the  Redeemer  appears  again,  and  the  first  thing  He  will  do 
will  be  the  destruction  of  the  world  power.     The  old  Jew- 
ish synagogue  understands  by  this  world-power  the  fourth 


4ii 


171 


empire,  and,  of  course,  this  means  Rome.     {Aboda-zora. 
Tanchuma,  Theruma.)    The  Roman  Empire  is  also  called  b»2!{?„p^*' 
Edom  because  Esau,  as  the  adversary  of  Jacob,  is  a  type  of 
Israel's  enemies.     This  fourth  empire  in  many  places  is 
spoken  of  as  an  empire  full  of  enmity  against  God  ;  wick- 
edness and  ungodliness  will  abound,  and  it  stands  in  con- 
tra:-t  to  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven,  which  begins  only  when 
Messiah  is  revealed.    In  Daniel  vii :  23,  we  read:    "The 
fourth  beast  shall  be  a  fouith  kingdom  upon  earth,  which  D»nieiTU:88. 
shall  be  diverse  from  all  the  kingdoms  and  shall  devour  the 
whole  earth,  and  shall  tread  it  down  and  break  it  in  pieces. 
Aboda-zora  says  to  this:    "This  fourth  beast   is  wicked 
Rome,  whose  dominion  is  over  the  whole  earth. ' '     Every- 
where in  Jewish  tradition  the  thought  is  expressed  that  the 
Roman  world  power  is  to  be  conquered  and  destroyed  when 
the  Messianic  Kingdom  is  ushered  in. 

Every  student  of  prophecy  knows  that  the  Old  Testa- 
ment and  the  New  Testament  speak  of  a  personal  Anti- 
christ, in  whom  Satan  and  all  wickedness  is  to  be  personi- 
fied, and  that  this  wicked  one  will  be  destroyed  by  the 
coming  Lord  from  Heaven.     (Isaiah  xi :  4  ;    lix  :  19,  20 ; 
Ezekiel  xxviii :  1-17  ;  2  Thessalonians  ii :  3,  8,  etc.)     The  Antichrist. 
same  leader  of  lawlessness  and  wickedness  is  spoken  of  in 
different  rabbinical  writings.     He  is  mentioned  as  a  mighty 
ruler  who  will  stand  in  the  time  when  Messiah  comes  at 
the  head  of  the  Roman  Empire,  and  he  will  unite  in  him- 
self  enmity  against  God  and  hatred  against  his  people. 
This  leader  is  called  Armilus.     Targum  Jonathan  says  to 
Isaiah  xi :  4,  "This  Armilus  is  the  last  enemy  of  Israel, 


(  :  = 


ill 


lMUhzl:4. 


BMt*ratloB. 


172 

and  Messiah  will  kill  him  with  the  word  of  His  mouth  and 
the  breath  of  His  lips." 

Connected  with  this  wicked  leader  whom  Messiah  will 
find  in  the  earth  when  He  comes,  are  great  tribulations 
and  much  -Tyeeping.  while  godliness  and  piety  have  almost 
ceased  in  the  earth.   Debarim  rab.  says,  "  Israel  said  before 
the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  His  name,  how  long  shall  we  be 
trodden  down  and  enslaved  by  his  hand  ?    The  Lord  said, 
Tell  them  the  day  dawns  of  which  it  is  written,  There 
shall  come  a  star  out  of  Jacob  and  a  sceptre  shall  rise  out 
of  Israel."     (Numbers  xxi v.)     When  that  star  comes  out 
of  Jacob  and  burns  the  stubbles  of   Esau,  according  to 
Obadiah  18,  then  shall  come  My  kingdom  and  My  King. 
Mechilta  says,  "  It  is  unknown  when  the  kingdom  of  David 
will  be  established  and  when  the  destruction  of  the  world 
power  is  to  take  place."     The  capital  of  the  empire  itself, 
that  is  Rome,  will  be  destroyed.     One  book  mentions  the 
Jews  as  the  instruments  used  in  the  destruction  of  Rome. 
The  Roman  Empire  will  be  punished  by  the  same  plagues 
which  came  upon  Egypt  in  the  days  of  Moses,  and  like 
Egypt  the  Roman  Empire  will  become  a  great  wilderness. 

After  this  judgment  and  destruction  Israel  will  be  liber- 
ated, and  will  be  gathered  from  all  nations  and  led  back  by 
the  powerful  hand  of  Jehovah  to  the  home-land.  {Peskita.) 
This  is  certainly  the  true  biblical  teaching  en  Israel's  restor- 
ation. The  restoration  which  we  are  privileged  to  see  in 
our  times  in  the  Zionistic  movement  seems  to  be  a  mock 
restoration— that  is,  one  in  unbelief— which  is  likewise 
foretold  in  prophecy.     The  true  restoration  will  come  after 


173 


tke  King  has  been  manifested  in  His  glory.   Shir  rob.  asks, 
"Why  does  Messiah  come?    To  gather  the  dispersed  of 
Israel."     Divine  power  will  in  this  gathering  be  mani- 
fested.   According  to  the /a/*«/ even  the  winds  will  fight 
among  themselves,  and  the  north  wind  wiU  say,  "I  will 
bring  them  back,"  and  the  south  wind  will  say,  "No,  I 
will  bring  them;"    but  the  Holy  One  will  settle  their 
dispute  and  they  will  all  bring  them  together.     The  ten 
tribes  are  also  mentioned  in  a  number  of  commentaries  as 
becoming  reunited  with  the  two  tribes,  while  others  teach 
that  the  ten  tribes  have  no  hope  in  that  direction. 

It  certainly  is  a  blessed  fact  that  the  orthodox  Jew  who 
sticks  faithfully  to  the  Word  of  God  and  believes  in  the 
teachings  of  the  old  Jewish  synagogue,  waits  believingly 
for  the  manifestation  of  the  King  and  for  the  fulfillment  of 
the  sure  word  of  prophecy.   Surely  the  time  will  come  when 
there  will  be  a  great  surprise  in  two  directions.      Israel 
waiting  for  that  coming  redemption  and  restoration  will  be 
surprised  to  find  that  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  so  long  rejected, 
is  He  who  has  brought  them  salvation  and  is  their  own  ore,t  surprim. 
King  and  Lord ;  while  Gentile  nations,  and  in  them  Chris- 
tendom ,  will  be  surprised  to  find  Israel  restored,  the  kingdom 
people  for  this  earth,  then  the  head  and  no  longer  the  tail. 
The  rabbinical  teachings  make  it  clear  that  all  Israel  is 
to  share  the  blessings  of  the  Kingdom  of  the  Messiah  when 
He  comes.   Bereshith  Fabba  says,  ' '  We  shall  cry  aloud  with 
joy.    When  ?    When  the  prisoners  come  up  from  Sheol, 
and  the  Shekinah  is  leading  them,   as  it  is  written  in 
Micahii:  13.     "The  breaker  is  coming  up  before  them; 


1   \i. 


r 


174 


MiMUi  U :  18. 


The  rMurreetlon 
of  the  Just 


A  trumpet 
■ounaed. 


they  have  broken  up,  and  have  passed  through  the  gate 
and  are  gone  out  by  it :  and  their  King  shall  pass  before 
them,  and  the  Lord  at  the  head  of  them."  The  resurrec- 
tion of  all  the  righteous  dead  takes  place.  According  to 
Abarbanel  and  Kimchi  the  resurrection  of  the  righteous 
dead  comes  after  Israel  has  been  restored  to  the  land,  while 
others  teach  that  it  will  take  place  during  the  reign  of  Mes- 
siah. He  is  called  in  Medrash  Tehillim  Jinnon,  because  He 
raises  the  dead.  Sanhedrin  says,  God  gives  the  key  to  the 
resurrection  of  the  dead  to  Messiah.  It  is  also  taught  that 
the  resurrection  from  the  dead,  brought  about  by  Messiah, 
will  be  the  means  to  bring  the  nations  of  the  earth  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  One  God. 

The  resurrection  will  take  place  in  the  Holy  Laud,  which 
is  sometimes  called  the  Land  of  the  Living.  Those  who 
are  not  buried  in  the  land  are  rolled  in  subterranean  pas- 
sages to  the  land  to  be  raised  there.  A  great  deal  of  super- 
stition is  connected  with  this  ' '  rolling ' '  of  the  dead. 

We  read  likewise  of  the  sounding  of  a  great  trumpet.  It 
is  given  in  detail  as  follows  :  "  The  Holy  One  takes  a  great 
trumpet  and  sounds  it,  and  the  tone  is  heard  over  the  en- 
tire earth.  The  resurrection  takes  place  under  seven 
sounds  from  Ihe  trumpet.  At  the  first  sound,  the  whole 
earth  is  moved  ;  at  the  second,  the  dust  is  separated  ;  at  the 
third,  the  bones  of  the  dead  are  gathered  ;  at  the  fourth, 
the  difiFerent  members  receive  warmth  ;  at  the  fifth,  they  re- 
ceive skin  and  veins  ;  at  the  sixth  sound,  the  souls  become 
reunited  to  the  bodies ;  and,  when  the  trumpet  is  heard  the 
seventh  time,  they  are  raised  up  and  stand  upon  their  feet." 


»75 

One  of  the  strangest  myths  found  in  Jewish  Eschatology 
is  the  one  concerning  a  bone  of  the  human  body  which  is 
incorruptible.      It  is  a  smaU  bone  which  cannot  be  de- 
stroyed.  and  it  will  be  the  starting  point  for  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  body.     Much  is  also  said  about  the  resurrection 
of  the  dead,  whether  the  dead  wiU  have  clothes  or  not. 
Sanhedrin  says,  The  Com  of  Wheat  is  laid  into  its  grave 
clothed,  and  it  comes  to  Ufe  again  in  the  same  form ; 
if  that  is  the  case  with  the  corn  of  wheat,  how   much 
more  will  it  be  then  with  the  human  body  ?    The  resurrec-  R«njr«ctio« 
tion  body  will  have  no  defects.     Blindness,  lameness,  deaf- 
ness,  etc.,  will  be  completely  healed.   After  the  living  have 
been  restored  to  the  land  and  the  dead  have  been  raised, 
the  glorious  Messianic  age,  the  Kingdom  will  commence, 
according  to  the  Jewish  belief. 

The  Messianic  age  is  called  Olam  Haboh,  the  world  to 
come.     With  it  begins  the  eternal  Ufe.    The  present  age  is 
called  Olam  Haze,  this  age.     Shemoth  Rab  speaks  beauti- 
fully of  this  present  age  as  the  time  when   the  bride   is 
coiled  and  the  betrothal  takes  place,  but  the  world  to  come, 
Olam  Habok,  is  the  wedding.    In  this  present  age  there  are 
the  little  gifts  to  the  bride,  but  in  the  days  of  Messiah  the 
fullness  of  Jehovah  wUl  be  given.    The  world  to  come  or 
Messianic  age  begins,  according  to  Bereshith  Rab,  with  the 
rebuUding  of  the  Temple,  and  it  ends  with  the  revolt  of 
Gog  and  Magog.   Jewish  tradition  holds  that  the  Messianic 
age  will  bring  a  Uteral    fulfillment    of    Old    Testament 
prophecy.   That  fulfillment  will  bu  restoration  and  the  full- 
ness of  Israel.     Oh,  that  such  interpretation,  so  true  and 


I IM. 


176 


Uiml  fnlflU- 
ment. 


J«ruaAlem 
MetropoUi. 


vital,  would  be  giveu  to  Christendom  I  Wonderful  does 
the  Talmud  speak  {Shabbath)  of  that  restoration:  "All 
prophets  have  prophesied  concerning  the  days  of  Messiah, 
but  about  the  world  to  come  the  word  is  written,  "  No  eye 
hath  seen.'"  .  .  .  Rabbi  Joseph  Albo  says:  "The 
world  to  come  will  be  revealed  step  by  step." 

How  long  will  the  Messianic  age  last  ?  Many  different 
answers  are  given  to  this  question.  Some  say  forty  years, 
others  one  hundred,  six  hundred  ;  again,  several  speak  of 
one  thousand  years,  two  thousand  years,  and  Rabbi  Abahu 
says  seven  thousand. 

The  rebuilding  of  Jerusalem,  and  in  it  the  temple,  forms 
a  good  part  of  the  discussions  in  rabbinical  writings.  The 
Holy  One  shall  make  Jerusalem  inhabitable  again,  and  the 
righteous  will  dwell  there.  The  rebuilding  of  the  city  will 
take  place  when  the  scattered  nation  is  restored,  and  not 
before.  Jerusalem  becomes  then  the  Metropolis  of  the 
whole  earth.  Baba  Bathra  says  that  the  doors  of  the  city 
will  be  adorned  with  precious  jewels.  In  this  present  age 
the  land  is  marked  by  stones  and  trees,  but  in  the  world  to 
come  the  landmarks  will  be  pearls  and  costly  stones.  Jeru* 
salem  will  cover  twelve  square  miles.  The  entire  city  will 
be  lifted  up  higher  and  higher,  till  at  last  it  will  reach  the 
throne  of  glory  in  the  heavens.  The  City  of  God  towers 
over  everything  in  the  world.  It  continues  to  expand,  and 
becomes  larger  and  larger,  because  in  it  all  the  exiles  and 
many  nations  are  to  find  a  glorious  shelter.  Still  higher 
than  tne  city  is  the  temple  of  the  Messianic  age.  The 
Targum  says  :    ' '  Messiah  will  build  the  temple,  which  was 


177 

destroyed  and  desecrated  on  account  of  our  sins.  Several 
traditions  say  that  Messiah  will  build  the  third  temple. 
This  third  House  of  God  will  be  the  most  glorious  which 
ever  stands  in  the  earth.  The  last  house  will  be  more 
glorious  than  the  first.  It  becomes  the  great  centre  of  the 
world  and  for  the  nations.  It  is  so  high  that  all  the  world 
will  see  the  glorious  hill  with  its  wonderful  structure.  The 
most  wonderful  hymns  of  praise  and  thanksgiving  will  be 
heard  in  that  temple." 

The  sacrifices  are  again  brought  in  the  temple.     Every- 
thing will  be  again  like  as  it  was  in  the  olden  times,  with 
the  exception  that  this  temple  is  not  only  for  Israel,  but  it 
is  for  all  the  nations.    The  whole  law  given  through  Moses 
will  then  be  fulfilled.     Messiah  Himself  will  teach  then  His 
people.    Still  more  is  said  in  different  traditions  concerning  Metsiab  reign- 
the  righteousness  and  blessedness  of  Israel  and  the  nations 
in  the  Messianic  age.     There  is  then  a  perfect  peace  be- 
tween God  and  Israel.     Messiah,  the  Prince  of  Peace,  will 
have  accomplished  th:s.    Not  only  is  there  peace  with  God, 
but  there  is  likewise  peace  for  Israel,  outwardly,  for  the 
world-powers  which  oppressed  Israel  are  no  more  in  exis- 
tence.   The  image  of  Nebuchadnezzar  has  been  pulverized. 
(Bcrachoth.)     The  fruitfulncss  of  the  land  returns,  and  it 
is  so  wondc-ful  that  the  trees  give  a  new  fruit  every  day. 
The  curse  laid  upon  the  woman  is  removed,  and  for  the 
people  of  God  there  is  no  more  death.     The  nations  will 
serve  Israel,   and   their   lives  will  be  greatly   prolonged. 
God's  glory  will  agair  be  seen  upon  the  human  counte- 
nance. 


,     I 


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ZIONISM,    THE    GREAT   JEWISH 
NATIONAL  MOVEMENT. 


i 

1 


Zionism,  the  Great  Jewish  National 
Movement. 

THE  birth  of  Zionism,  the  great  revival  of  Jewish  nation- 
alism, falls  into  the  closing  years  of  the  nineteenth 
century.    Never  has  there  been  such  a  wonderful  and  world- 
wide movement  for  national  restoration  among  the  Jews, 
since  the  day  when  Jerusalem  fell,  at  the  beginning  of  this 
Christian  age.    With  this  we  do  not  say  that  the  love  and  en- 
thusiasm for  the  land  of  the  Fathers  ever  had  died  out  in 
Jewish  hearts.     For  centuries  the  poor  scattered  -heep  of 
Israel  repeated  year  after  year,  at  the  feast  day  of  their  great 
national  birthday,  "this  year  here,  next  year  in  Jerusalem." 
and  the  tear-dimmed  eyes  of  thousands  looked  towards  the 
distant  East.    "If  I  forget  thee,  O  Jerusalem,  let  my  right 
hand  forget  her  cunning.     If  I  do  not  remember  thee,  let 
my  tongue  cleave  to  the  roof  of  my  mouth ;  if  i  prefer  not 
Jerusalem  above  my  chief  joy"  (Psl.  cxxxvii).    This  has 
been  always  the  sentiment  of  every  true,  orthodox  Hebrew. 

After  the  first  half  of  the  nineteenth  century  was  passed 
different  appeals  for  colonization  of  Palestine  were  made  and 
movements  started  to  help  along  Jews  who  desired  to  return 
to  the  old  home  land.  The  Chovevei  Zion,  Lovers  of  Zion,  LoTer.of  zion. 
society  was  the  strongest.  This  society  was  founded  in 
London  and  may  be  called  the  first  great  attempt  of  a  restor- 

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MICROCOPY  RESOLUTION  TEST  CHART 

NATIONAL  BUREAU  OF  STANDARDS 

STANDARD  REFERENCE  MATERIAL  1010a 

(ANSI  and  ISO  TEST  CHART  No.  2) 


183 


1 


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>   : 


I 


ation  from  the  side  of  the  Jews.    The  objects  of  the  Lovers 
of  Zion  are  the  following: 

1.  To  foster  the  national  idea  in  Israel. 

2.  To  promote  the  colonization  of  Palestine  and  neigh- 
boring territories  by  Jews  by  establishing  new  colonies,  or 
by  assisting  those  already  established. 

3.  To  diffuse  the  knowledge  of  Hebrew  as  a  living  lan- 
guage. 

4.  To  better  the  moral,  intellectual,  and  material  status 

of  Israel. 

The  Chovevei  Zion  had  much  success  both  in  colonization 
and  in  creating  a  strong  national  feeling  among  Hebrews. 

other  sodetieB.  Other  societies  endeavoring  the  same  followed  the  Lovers 
of  Zion.  In  Beriin  the  society  "Ezra"  was  sfc^rted;  in  Vi- 
enna, "Kadimah";  in  London,  the  "Benai  Zion";  in  New 
York,  the  "Shore  Zion,"  as  well  as  others.  All  these  may 
be  termed  forerunners  of  the  greatest  movement,  Zionism. 
Since  the  arrival  and  almost  miraculous  growth  of  this  na- 
tional revival  among  the  Jews,  these  smaller  societies  have 
been  forced  into  the  background. 

It  is  a  significant  fact,  which  must  not  be  overlooked,  that 
Zionism,  so  suddenly  called  into  existence,  was  bom  in  a 
time  of  the  fiercest  persecution  of  the  Jews,  a  persecution 
almost  world-wide.  It  is  true  that  the  last  decade  of  the 
much  lauded  nineteenth  century,  with  its  boasted  progress 
and  Christian  (?)  civilization,  produced  the  vilest  attacks 

Anti-semittam.  of  Anti-Semitism,  and  thousands  and  thousands  of  Jews 
suffered  as  much  as  their  fathers  did.  It  is  not  our  intention 
to  rehearse  these  deeds  done  by  nations  who  call  themselves 


183 


"Christian" ;  but  it  is  only  a  few  years,  when  the  streets  of 
Paris  were  filled  with  howling  mobs  crying,  "Down  with 
the  Jews."  And  what  about  Russia  and  her  crimes  against 
the  Jews?  What  about  the  hundred  thousand  driven  like 
cattle  through  the  pale,  created  by  the  land  of  the  north,  and 
then  wilfully  forced  out  from  house  and  home,  from  kin- 
dreds and  friends,  to  look  in  distant  countr  es  for  a  refuge? 
Some  were  wandering  from  one  European  country  to  the 
other,  footsore  and  disheartened,  ever  fulfilling  the  words 
in  the  Book,  "no  rest  for  the  soles  of  their  feet."  The  great 
masses  of  Jews  in  Eastern  Europe  may  well  be  called  "the 
football  of  nations." 

We  must  not  forget  Roumania  and  her  inhuman  treat- 
ment of  the  Jews  in  expelling  them  from  her  borders ;  nor 
Austria  with  her  Anti-Semitism  and  Germany  with  her 
Ahlwardt  and  Stocker.  KishineflF  with  its  darkest  deeds  of 
blood  and  shame,  that  awful  page  of  modern  history  is  still 
vivid  in  the  memory  of  the  reader  and  needs  no  mention 
here.  Persia,  Algiers,  Morocco,  Egypt,  Turkey  and  other 
countries  all  did  their  share  in  persecuting  the  ieed  of  Abra- 
ham. One  fact  more,  a  fact  as  startling  as  it  is  significant. 
We  have  reference  to  the  revival  of  the  so-called 
accusation. 

Jews  use  for  certain  ceremonials  the  blood  of  Christians, 
whcMti  they  kill  for  this  purpose.  Some  have  declared  that 
this  lie  was  an  exclusive  growth  during  the  middle  ages,  and 
thai  it  could  not  prosper  in  the  enlightened  nineteenth  and 
twentieth  centuries.  Careful  research  and  present  history 
reveals  entirely  different  facts.    In  the  year  1144  we  find 


blood    Blood  aceuia- 

tiOD. 

It  is  the  malicious  and  satanic  accusation  that 


i84 


Oreat  trouble. 


the  first  case  on  record.  Five  other  cases  of  the  blood  ac- 
cusation are  recorded  in  the  twelfth  century.  In  the  thir- 
teenth century  fifteen  cases  are  on  record ;  in  the  fourteenth, 
nine  cases ;  in  the  fifteenth,  sixteen  cases ;  in  the  sixteenth, 
thirteen  cases;  in  the  seventeenth,  eight;  in  the  eighteenth, 
fifteen,  and  in  the  nineteenth  we  have  the  record  of  thirty- 
nine  cases. 

A  number  of  these  were  made  during  the  last  ten  years. 
On  account  of  these  baseless  accusations  I3i»  Jews  were 
killed  during  the  nineteenth  century  (that  century  of  prog- 
ress!) and  some  125  severely  injured,  and  a  much  larger 
number  imprisoned  and  harassed.  This  surely  does  not  look 
as  if  this  age  is  getting  more  enlightened  and  becoming  more 
tolerant.  It  shows  that  there  is  as  much,  and  perhaps  more, 
superstition  in  the  world  and  hatred  against  the  Jew  than 
ever  before.  Hebrews  should  learn  a  lesson  here.  Many 
dream  of  tolerance,  and  even  Zionism  thinks  that  with  the 
foundation  of  a  Jewish  State  persecutions  will  cease.  This 
is  an  idle  dream.  Smouldering  in  the  nations  is  still  the  same 
old  hatred  against  the  Jew,  which  may  soon  be  fanned  into 
a  burning  flame.  From  the  Word  of  God,  as  taught  in  this 
volume,  we  learn  that  a  great  persecution  for  the  Jews  is 
coming,  the  great  tribulation  (Jeremiah  xxx:;;  Daniel  xii: 
I ) .  These  persecutions  of  the  present  day  are  but  harbin- 
gers of  the  last  outbreak  by  the  confederacies  of  nations 
against  the  Jew. 

And  in  these  days  of  trouble  and  evil  signs  for  the  Jewish 
race  Zionism  came  into  existence. 

The  founder  of  Zionism  and  successful  leader  of  the 


185 


movement  was  Dr.  Theodore  Herzl.  The  people  whom  he  Dr.  nmv» 
SO  strangely  united  around  his  great  ideal  and  enthused  as 
no  other  leader  of  the  Jews  has  done  for  2,000  years  and 
over,  the  people  whom  he  organized  and  led  on  towards  the 
goal,  a  Jewish  State,  are  mourning  now  for  him,  for  Herzl, 
in  the  prime  of  his  manhood,  was  taken  away  by  death 
from  this  earthly  scene  in  July,  1904.  Only  after  his  death 
has  it  become  evident  iiow  he  was  loved  and  honored 
amongst  his  people.  Many  mighty  princes  have  fallen  in 
Israel,  but  none  seems  to  have  been  as  much  mourned  and 
missed  as  Herzl. 

No  doubt,  the  God  of  Israel,  the  keeper  of  His  people, 
wants  His  covenant  people  to  learn  lessons  by  so  suddenly  The 
removing  the  man,  whom  some  called  "their  Moses,"  and 
almost  reverenced  as  "the  Messiah."  The  lesson  for  Zion- 
ists should  be  what  God  has  so  clearly  shown  in  His  Word, 
that  not  man  but  the  Lord  Himself  will  lead  His  people 
back  and  deliver  them  from  the  house  of  bondage,  as  He 
did  of  old. 

Zionism  should  have  in  its  platform  from  their  own  Scrip- 
tures the  words  which  are  written  in  Deut.  xxx:i-io,  and 
trust  in  Him,  who  is  able. 

To  give  a  ccmiplete  history  of  Zionism  would  be  impos- 
sible in  our  pages;  we  can  trace  only  part  of  it  and  point 
out  a  striking  fact  here  and  there. 

And  who  was  this  Dr.  Th.  Herzl  ?    A  tynical  son  of  the  who  wm  Dr. 

■^  Henl  ? 

people.     Bom  on  May  2,  i860,  in  one  of  the  hotbeds  of 
Anti-Semitism,  Buda-Pest,  he  received  his  education  in  the 


1 


:  I 


i86 


The  Jewish 
State. 


CongTMi. 


University  of  Vienna,  where  he  studied  law  and  received 
ther^  his  title  as  Doctor  of  Laws  (LL,  D.),  Early  he  turned 
to  journalism  ?nd  wrote  a  number  of  plays  for  the  "Burg 
Theater,"  of  Vienna.  Later  he  published  several  books  and 
became  connected  with  the  "Neue  Freie  Presse,"  a  strong 
German-Austrian  newspap<T  owned  by  Jews  and  org^n  of 
the  liberal  party,  which  worked  against  Anti-Semitism.  His 
work  made  it  necessary  to  travel  in  France  and  England. 
He  became  early  acquainted  with  the  man  who  stood  by  him 
in  his  Zionistic  labors,  Dr.  Max  Nordau,  of  Paris.  For 
several  years  he  could  feel  the  pulse  of  the  ever  rising  Anti- 
Semitic  agitation.  From  1891  to  1895  Herzl  resided  in 
Pt^ris;  this  was  during  the  celebrated  Dreyfus  rnse.  No 
doubt  the  Anti-Semitic  mutterings  of  a  great  coming  storm 
to  break  over  the  entire  Jewish  race  residing  in  Europe,  was 
the  spur  for  Herzl  to  write  his  famous  "Der  Judenstaat" 
(The  Jewish  State). 

After  much  opposition  and  preliminary  work  Herzl  came 
more  and  more  to  the  front.  We  cannot  follow  the  whole 
devel'^-pment.  In  the  early  part  of  1896  an  English  edition  of 
"Der  Judenstaat"  appeared,  and  in  the  summer  of  the  same 
year  he  visited  Constant'  lople.  About  six  months  later, 
"Die  Welt"  (The  World),  the  great  Zionistic  newspaper, 
was  begun,  and  in  February  the  first  Zionistic  Congress  was 
proposed.  This  first  great  Congress,  one  of  the  greatest 
events  in  modern  Jewish  history,  was  held  in  the  city  of 
Basle,  in  August,  1897. 

This  Congress  was  a  remarkable  Jewish  gathering.    Eu- 


M 


187 

rope,  America,  Asia  and  Africa  had  sent  their  numerous 
delegates.  What  a  scene  it  wasl  Several  hundred  Jews, 
all  enthusiastic  for  tiie  national  idea. 

Following  are  the  resolutions  passed  with  unanimity  by  the 
Congress.  They  express,  in  very  concise  form,  the  aim  and 
ob'ect  of  the  Zionist  movement. 

"Zionism  aims  to  procure  for  the  Jewish  people  a  right-  Aim  of  ztontem. 
fully  secured  hwne  in  Palestine.  To  attain  this  end  the 
Congress  has  in  viey»  the  following  measures:  i.  Immigra- 
tion into  Palestine  of  Jewish  agriculturists  and  artisans. 
2.  The  organization  and  unior  of  all  Judaism  by  all  proper 
means  and  by  such  general  institutions  as  are  compatible 
with  the  laws  of  nations.  3.  The  strengthening  of  the  Jew- 
ish national  consciousness.  4.  Preparatory  steps  to  obtain 
from  the  interested  governments  the  necessary  consent  to  the 
aims  of  Zionism." 

One  of  the  first  things  they  did  was  to  send  a  telegram  to 
the  Turkish  Sultan,  in  which  this  monarch  of  the  bloody 
hand  received  the  thanks  of  the  Congress  for  'the  soUcitude 
which  he  has  manifested  toward  his  Jewish  subjects."  And 
it  must  be  acknowledged  that  the  "unspeakable  Turk"  has 
not  been  as  much  of  an  anti-Semite  by  way  of  persecuting 
and  oppressing  the  Jews  in  his  domains,  as  *he  majority  of 
the  so-called  Christian  moniirchs  of  Eurcpe  and  their  sub- 
jects. 

An  executive  committee  of  twenty-one,  with  headquar- 
ters at  Vienna,  has  been  chosen,  which  is  charged  with  (1) 
propaganda,  '2)  diplomatic  and  financial  negotiations,  and 
(3)  practical  colonization. 


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x88 

Among  die  leading  thought  was  of  course  the  purchase 
of  land  from  the  Sultan.  There  was  a  great  deal  of  opposi- 
tion to  the  scheme  by  orthodox  rabbis.  We  mention  here 
especially  one  intelligent  protest  coming  from  a  learned 
Orthodox obj«!-    New  York  rabbi.*    It  is  well  worth  reading: 

"It  is  remarkable  that  all  prominent  Hebrews  are  in  favor 
of  Zionism  as  an  institution,  though  they  are  not  united  in 
favor  of  methods  proposed  oy  leading  Zionites.  But  in  a 
movement  of  this  kind  it  is  to  be  expected  that  much  debate, 
many  diverse  opinions  must  be  heard.  Perhaps  the  whole 
impulse  in  the  direction  given  to  Zionism  by  Dr.  Herzl  and 
Max  Nordau,  the  leading  spirits  of  the  approaching  Zionist 
Conference,  is  wrong.  Perhaps  much  of  it  is  right.  It 
must,  however,  be  here  stated  that  earnest  Hebrews  protest 
against  ^he  promulgation  of  any  ideas  which  will  interfere 
with  the  faidiful  discharge  of  the  duties  of  citizenship  in 
the  land  of  their  adoption  or  residence.  Not  that  Dr.  Herzl 
or  Dr.  Nordau  propose  any  such.  The  feature  in  their  pro- 
gramme which  calls  forth  objection  from  leaders  of  Hebrew 
thought  is  the  idea  of  obtaining  Palestine  by  purchase  from 
the  Sultan  of  Turkey.  But  the  Jewish  question  being  pre- 
sented to  the  world  now  by  the  present  Zionistic  agitation 
brings  to  the  fore  certain  points  on  which  there  should  be 
a  clear  understanding.  True  Zionism  is  founded  on  the 
Bible.  Any  idea  at  variance  with  the  teachings,  direct  or 
indirect,  of  the  Bible,  will  ever  be  rejected  by  the  vast  ma- 
jority of  Hebrews  as  not  being  true  Zionism.    It  is  for  this 


*Dr.  Pereira  Mendes. 


iH 


very  sufficient  reason  that  the  purchase  idea  is  rejected. 
The  '¥*•  shall  be  redeemed  not  by  money'  of  the  prophet 
(Isaiah  lii:3)  is  taken  literally  in  tfiis  connection,  even 
though  the  inadvisability  of  obtaining  possession  of  Pales- 
tine by  such  methods  must  be  apparent.  For  a  part  of  the 
programme  of  the  re-establishment  of  a  Jewish  state  is  the 
gradual  abolition  of  war,  and  the  Hebrev/s  would  not  or 
could  not  be  expected  to  be  prepared  for  war  to  defend  a 
possession  of  the'r  land.  And,  to  avoid  this,  there  must  be 
an  understandin<j  between  all  the  great  powers  and  the 
Hebrews.    It  be  a  private  arrangement  with  Tur- 

key alone,    'j  ton  of  the  possession  of  Palestine  must 

not  be  broug.  .vard    t  this  juncture.    The  time  is  not 

ripe.  It  is  a  question  ti»at  must  be  left  for  the  guidance 
of  the  higher  Power,  which  has  shaped,  does  shape,  and  ever 
will  shape,  the  destinies  of  the  Hebrew  nation." 

Here  is  a  bold  and  significant  utterance.  The  rabbi  who 
wrote  these  words  believes  in  the  Bible  as  the  Word  of  God, 
however  his  voice  and  protest  was  not  heard. 

Dr.  Herzl  was  the  leading  figure  of  the  Congress  and 
almost  idolized.  We  quote  parts  of  his  first  address  to  the 
great  Zionistic  gathering : 

"As  one  of  the  callers  of  this  Congress  I  have  the  honor  ^^^y^- 
assigned  to  me  to  bid  you  welcome.  I  shall  do  it  in  few 
words,  for  each  of  us  will  do  good  service  to  the  cause  if  he 
uses  sparingly  the  precious  minutes  of  the  Congress.  In 
these  three  days  we  have  many  important  matters  before  us. 
We  mean  to  lay  the  foundation  for  the  house  that  shall  one 
day  shelter  the  Jewish  nation.    The  cause  is  so  great  that  we 


m 


190 

can  speak  of  it  only  in  simple  language.  We  shall  hear  re- 
ports on  the  condition  of  the  Jews  in  the  various  countries. 
You  all  are  aware,  if  perhaps  only  vaguely,  that  this  con- 
dit''  A,  with  few  exceptions,  is  not  a  happy  one.  We  sho'  Id 
hardly  be  here  were  it  otherwise.  The  community  of  our 
misery  has  suffered  a  long  interruption,  although  the  various 
scattered  portions  of  our  people  had  to  endure  the  same 
things  everywhere.  It  has  been  reserved  for  our  day,  with 
its  marvels  of  communication,  to  render  possible  a  reunion 
and  a  mutual  understanding  between  the  separated  ones. 
And  ill  this  our  time,  so  exalted  in  other  respects,  we  find 
ourselves  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  the  old  hatred.  Anti- 
Semitism  is  the  modern  name,  only  too  well  known  to  you 
all,  of  this  outbreak.  Its  first  effect  upon  the  Jews  of  to-day 
was  surprise,  which  changed  into  pain  and  anger.  Perhaps 
our  enemies  do  not  know  or  realize  at  all,  how  deeply  they 
have  hurt  in  our  inmost  soul  those  of  us  whom  possibly 
they  did  not  intend  to  hit  mainly.  Modem  Judaism,  refined, 
cultured,  which  has  outgrown  the  Ghetto,  and  has  become 
disused  from  trafficking  has  received  a  stab  to  the  heart. 
We  can  say  this  calmly  to-day  without  raising  the  suspicion 
as  though  we  wanted  to  appeal  to  the  tear-glands  of  our 
opponents.    We  understand  ourselves." 


"Already  Zionism  has  accomplished  something  remark- 
able, which  has  been  considered  impossible  ere  this,  to  wit. : 
the  close  affiliation  of  the  most  modern  elements  in  Judaism 
with  the  most  conservative.  Since  this  has  come  about  with- 
out unworthy  concessions  from  either  side,  it  is  additional 


191 


proof,  if  such  were  needed,  of  the  fact  that  we  Jews  are  truly 
a  nation.    Such  a  union  is  possible  only  on  a  national  basis. 

"Our  movement,  consequently,  in  order  to  be  rational, 
has  to  aim  openly  at  rightful  guarantees.    G}lonization  thus 
far  has  attained  what  it  could.    It  has  demonstrated  the  fit- 
ness of  the  Jew  for  agriculture.     But  the  solution  of  the 
Jewish  question  it  is  not  and  cannot  be  in  its  present  form. 
That  is  the  reason  why  it  ha.  not  found  very  many  sympa- 
thizers.   Why  this?    Because  the  Jews  can  calculate  and  can 
do  it  well.    If  there  are  nine  million  Jews  and  if  it  were 
possible  to  colonize  an  lually  ten  thousand  of  them  in  Pales- 
tine, the  solution  of  the  Jewish  question  along  that  line 
would  require  nine  hundred  years.     That  does  not  look 
practical.    But  the  idea  of  setting  ten  thousand  Jews  annu- 
ally in  colonies  is  simply  preposterous.    The  Turkish  gov- 
ernment would  in  that  case  resume  at  once  the  old  prohibi-  . 
tory  policy,  and  that  would  be  what  we  like.    Tc  think  that 
Jews  could  be  smuggled  into  t  i  land  of  their  fathers  is  a 
delusion.    Nor  would  it  be  in  our  inte-est  to  go  there  pre- 
maturely.   The  immigration  of  the  Jews  signifies  a  mighty 
infusion  and  afflux  of  new  forces  into  the  land  now  impover- 
ished and  into  the  whole  Ottoman  empire.    His  majesty,  the 
Sultan,  has  had,  however,  the  best  experiences  witfi  his  Jew- 
ish subjects,  as  he  has  been  to  them  a  kind  sovereign.    These 
are  conditions,  therefore,  which  are  likely  to  lead  to  good 
results  under  wise  and  proper  management.    The  financial 
aid  which  the  Jews  might  render  Turkey  is  not  inconsider- 
able and  would  tend  to  the  removal  of  many  disadvantages 


^11 


ifi 

under  which  the  land  is  now  suffering.  And  if  a  part  of  the 
Oriental  (Eastern)  question  is  solved  in  the  solution  of  the 
Jewish  problem  it  will  I  to  the  advantage  of  all  civilized 
nations.  The  settling  of  tne  Jews  in  their  country  would 
also  mean  a  betterment  of  the  condition  of  the  Christians  in 

the  Orient. 

"But  it  is  not  from  this  quarter  only  that  Zionism  may  look 
for  ♦he  sympathies  of  the  nations.  You  know  that  the  Jew- 
ish problem  in  many  states  has  become  a  vexed  one  and  a 
calamity  for  the  government.  To  take  the  Jews'  part  mea  s 
opposition  from  the  inflamed  masses.  To  antagonize  the 
Jews  is  calamitous  economically,  by  reason  of  the  peculiar 
influence  of  the  Jews  upon  the  commerce  of  the  world.  Of 
this  there  are  a  number  of  examples.  Finally,  if  the  gov- 
ernment remain  neutral  toward  the  Jews,  the  latter  find 
themselves  without  protection  in  the  existinj»  i.  ier  of  things 
and  take  refuge  in  anarchism.  Zionism,  or  self-help  for  the 
Jews,  forms  the  outlet  for  these  various  and  grave  difficul- 
ties. Zionism  is  simply  the  peacemaker.  To  be  sure  its 
lot  will  likely  be  that  of  most  peacemakers— it  will  have  to 
do  the  most  fighting. 

"All  this  my  friends  and  myself  have  said  often.  We  shall 
not  weary  of  saying  it  over  and  over  until  we  are  under- 
stock. On  this  solemn  occasion,  when  Jews  from  all  coun- 
tries are  assembled  here  in  obedience  to  the  old  call  of  the 
nation,  to-day  let  us  solemnly  repeat  our  confession.  What  an 
inspiratioti  to  think  that  at  this  moment  the  hopes  and  expec- 
tations of  hundreds  of  thousands  of  our  people  are  centered 
upon  our  gathering.     To  distant  lands,  even  across  the 


ocean,  the  next  hour  will  carry  the  tidin|»  of  our  delibera- 
tions and  reiolutions." 

And  even  so  it  was.  To  distent  lar.:-,  across  the  oceans, 
from  continent  to  continent,  the  news  flashed  and  a  na- 
tional fire  was  kindled  among  the  Jews  with  that  first  con- 
gress, which  still  bums.  otiKwCoDfr«M 

The  recond  congress  was  held  in  the  same  place  in  Aug-     g^theriM^ 
ust,  1898,  the  third  in  1899,  also  in  Basle,  and  the  fourth  in 
London,  in  1900.    Heroic  labor  was  done  by  Herzl  and  his 
associates.    The  foundation  of  a  Zionist  Bank     -d  Trust 
was  suggested  at  the  second  congress  and  soon  becan^c  es- 
tablished, and  is  now  upon  a  solid  basis.    Herzl  and  hi«  cou.- 
mittee  were  received  by  the  German  Emper  •  at  Jen.  tlcin 
in  1898,  and  in  May  Dr.  ''erzl  had  a  numl      of  audiences 
with  the  Sultan  of  Turkey.    Twice  more  he  paid  his  visit  to 
the  Porte  and  each  time  he  had  audiences  with  that  sinister 
person,  who  still  holds  Palestine  in  his  blood-stained  grasp. 
Herzl  was  with  the  Sultan  in  January  and  August,  1902. 
He  also  was  received  by  the  King  of  Italy  and  the  Pope. 
The  fifth  congress  was  held  in  1901  and  the  sixth  in  the 
month  of  August,  1903.    In  this  congress  an  offer  was  re- 
ceived by  the  British  Government  to  permit  a  Jewish  na- 
tional settlement  in  British  East  Africa.     This  offer  and 
the  deliberations  which  followed  nearly  caused  a  division  of 
the  ranks  of  Zionism.    But  the  crisis  is  past.  ^^^^ 

Of  the  remarkable  growth  of  Zionism,  its  many  organs  in  ^^^h. 
Jewish,  German,  Hebrew,  English,  Italian  and  other  conti- 
nental languages,  the  hundreds  and  hundreds  of  societies 
started  all  over  the  world,  the  enthusiasm  of  Jews  in  Sydney, 


II. ! 


«94 


TIm  Jcwtah 
8Ut«. 


Australia,  South  Africa,  New  York,  London,  Paris,  San 
Francisco,  Montreal  and  in  towns  and  villages,  all  this  we 
have  to  pass  over.  It  is  not  necessary  to  go  into  details. 
The  movement  is  gaining  continually,  and  though  the  leader 
is  gone,  the  fiery  enthusiasm  remains.  What  further  devel- 
opments will  there  be?  Who  will  be  the  man,  who  takes 
Herzl's  place?    All  this  will  be  interesting  to  see. 

We  quote  from  the  famous  document  of  Herzl,  the  docu- 
ment, which  only  now  is  being  fully  appreciated  by  the 
Jews,  "Der  Judr^nstaat."*    In  his  introduction  he  says : 

"The  Jewish  question  still  exists.  It  would  be  useless  to 
deny  it.  It  is  a  remnant  of  the  middle  ages,  which  civilized 
nations  do  not  even  yet  seem  able  to  shake  off,  try  as  they 
will.  They  certainly  showed  a  generous  desire  to  do  so 
when  they  emancipated  us.  The  Jewish  question  exists 
wherever  Jews  live  in  perceptible  numbers.  Where  it  does 
not  exist,  it  is  carried  by  Jews  in  the  course  of  their  migra- 
tions. We  naturally  move  to  those  places  where  we  are  not 
persecuted,  and  there  our  presence  produces  persecution. 
This  is  the  case  in  every  country,  and  will  remain  so,  even 
in  those  most  highly  civilized — France  itself  being  no  excep- 
tion— till  the  Jewish  question  finds  a  solution  on  a  political 
basis.  The  unfortunate  Jews  are  now  carrying  Anti-Semit- 
ism into  England;  they  have  already  introduced  it  into 
America. 

I  believe  that  I  understand  Anti-Semitism,  which  is  really 


♦To  those  interested  who  would  Hke  the  entire  pamphlet  we  recom- 
mend the  translation  with  preface  published  by  the  Maccabean 
Publishing  Co.,  320  Broadway,  N.  Y.    Price  50  cents. 


195 

a  highly  complex  movement.    I  consider  it  from  a  Jewish 
standpoint,  yet  without  fear  or  hatred.    I  believe  that  I  can 
see  what  elements  there  are  in  it  of  vulgar  sport,  of  common 
trade  jealousy,  of  inherited  prejudice,  of  religious  intoler- 
ance, and  also  of  pretended  self-defence.    I  think  the  Jewish 
question  is  no  more  a  social  than  a  religious  one,  notwith- 
standing that  it  sometimes  takes  these  and  other  forms.    It 
is  a  national  question,  which  can  only  be  solved  by  making 
it  a  political  world-question  to  be  discussed  and  controlled 
by  the  civilized  nations  of  the  world  in  council. 
We  are  a  people — One  people. 

We  have  honestly  endeavored  everywhere  to  merge  our- 
selves in  the  social  life  of  surrounding  communities.    It  has 
not  been  permitted  to  us.    In  vain  are  we  loyal  patriots,  our 
loyalty  in  some  places  running  to  extremes ;  in  vain  do  we 
make  the  same  sacrifices  of  life  and  property  as  our  fellow- 
citizens  ;  in  vain  do  we  strive  to  increase  the  fame  of  our 
native  land  in  science  and  art,  or  her  wealth  by  trade  and 
commerce.    In  countries  where  we  have  lived  for  centuries 
we  are  still  cried  down  as  strangers,  and  often  by  those 
whose  ancestors  were  not  yet  domiciled  in  the  land  where 
Jews  had  already  made  experience  of  suffering.    The  major- 
ity may  decide  which  are  the  strangers ;  for  this,  as  indeed 
every  point  which  arises  in  the  commerce  of  nations,  is  a 
question  of  might.    I  do  not  here  surrender  any  portion  of 
our  prescriptive  right,  for  I  am  making  this  statement  merely 
in  my  own  name  as  an  individual.    In  the  worid  of  to-day, 
and  for  an  indefinite  period  it  will  probably  remain  so,  might 
precedes  right.    Therefore  it  is  useless  for  us  to  be  loyal 


•^ 

( 


m 


196 

patriots,  as  were  tlie  Huguenots  who  were  forced  to  emi- 
grate.   If  we  could  only  be  left  in  peace.    .    .    . 

But  I  think  we  shall  not  be  left  in  peace. 

Oppression  and  persecution  cannot  exterminate  us.  No 
nation  on  earth  has  survived  such  struggles  and  sufferings 
as  we  have  gone  through." 

The  following  is  one  of  the  most  interesting  utterances: 

"The  whole  plan  is  in  its  essence  perfectly  simple,  as  it 
must  necessarily  be  if  it  is  to  come  within  the  comprehension 

of  all. 

"Let  the  sovereignty  b*"  granted  us  over  a  portion  of  the 
globe  large  enough  to  satisfy  the  reasonable  requirements  of 
a  nation ;  the  rest  we  shall  manage  for  ourselves. 
Tkapun.  "The  creation  of  a  new  State  is  neither  ridiculous  nor  im- 

possible. We  have  in  our  day  witnessed  the  process  in  con- 
nection with  nations  which  were  not  in  the  bulk  of  the  mid- 
dle class,  but  poorer,  less  educated,  and  consequently  weaker 
than  ourselves.  The  governments  of  all  countries  scourged 
by  Anti-Semitism  will  serve  their  own  interests  in  assisting 
us  to  obtain  the  sovereignty  we  want. 

"The  plan,  simple  in  design,  but  complicated  in  execution, 
will  be  carried  out  by  two  mediums ;  the  Society  of  Jews  and 
the  Jewish  Company. 

"The  Society  of  Jews  will  do  the  preparatory  work  in  the 
domains  of  science  and  politics,  which  the  Jewish  Company 
will  afterwards  practically  apply. 

"The  Jewish  Company  will  see  to  the  realization  of  the 
business  interests  of  departing  Jews,  and  will  organize  com- 
merce and  trade  in  the  new  country. 


197 

"We  must  not  imagine  the  departure  of  the  Jews  to  be  a 
sudden  one.    It  will  be  gradual,  continuous,  and  will  cover 
many  decades.     The  poorest  will  go  first  to  cultivate  the 
soil.    In  accordance  with  a  preconcerted  plan,  they  will  con- 
struct  roads,  bridges,   railways,  and   telegraphs;  regulate 
rivers,  and  build  their  own  habitations;  their  labor  will 
create  trade,  trade  will  create  markets,  and  markets  will  at- 
tract new  settlers ;  for  every  man  will  go  voluntarily,  at  his 
own  expense  and  his  own  risk.    The  labor  expended  on  the 
land  will  enhance  its  value,  and  the  Jews  will  soon  perceive 
that  a  new  and  permanent  sphere  of  operation  is  opening 
here  for  that  spirit  of  enterprise  which  has  heretofore  met 
only  with  hatred  and  obloquy. 

"If  we  wish  ^o  found  a  State  to-day,  we  .hall  do  it  in  the 
way  which  would  have  been  the  only  possible  one  a  thous- 
and years  ago.  It  is  foolish  to  revert  to  old  stages  of  civili- 
zation, as  many  Zionists  would  like  to  do.  Supposing,  for 
example,  we  were  obliged  to  clear  a  country  of  wild  beasts, 
we  should  not  set  about  the  business  in  the  fashion  of 
Europeans  of  the  fifth  century.  We  should  not  take  spear 
and  lance  and  go  out  singly  in  pursuit  of  bears ;  we  should 
organize  a  large  and  active  hunting  party,  drive  the  animals 
together,  and  throw  a  melinite  bomb  into  their  midst. 

"If  we  wish  to  conduct  building  operations,  we  shall  not 
plant  a  mass  of  stakes  and  piles  on  the  shore  of  a  lake,  but 
we  shall  build  as  men  build  now.  Indeed,  we  shall  build  in 
a  bolder  and  more  stately  style  than  was  ever  adopted  be- 
fore, for  we  now  possess  means  which  men  never  yet  pos- 
sessed. 


"The  emigrants  standing  '--.vest  in  the  economic  scale  will 
be  slowly  followed  by  those  of  a  higher  grade.  Those  who 
at  this  moment  are  living  in  despair  will  go  first.  They  will 
be  led  Ly  the  mediocre  intellects  which  we  produce  so  su- 
perabundantly, and  which  are  persecuted  everywhere. 

"This  pamphlet  will  open  a  general  discussion  on  the  Jew- 
ish question,  avoiding,  if  possible,  the  creation  of  an  opposi- 
tion party.  Such  a  result  would  ruin  the  cause  from  the  out- 
set, and  dissentients  must  remember  that  allegiance  or  opposi- 
tion are  entirely  voluntary.    Who  will  not  come  with  us, 

may  remain. 

"Let  all  who  are  willing  to  join  us,  fall  in  behind  our  ban- 
ner and  fight  for  our  cause  with  voice  and  pen  and  deed. 

"Those  Jews  who  fall  in  with  our  idea  of  a  State  will 
attach  themselves  to  the  Society,  which  will  thereby  be  au- 
thorized to  confer  and  treat  with  governments  in  the  name  of 
our  people.  The  Society  will  thus  be  acknowledged  in  its 
relations  with  governments  as  a  State-creating  power.  This 
acknowledgment  will  practically  create  the  State. 

"Should  the  powers  declare  themselves  willing  to  admit 
our  sovereignty  over  a  neutral  piece  of  land,  then  the  Society 
will  enter  into  negotiations  ior  the  possession  of  this  land. 
Here  two  territories  come  under  consideration,  Palestine 
and  Argentina.  In  both  countries  important  experiments  in 
colonization  have  been  made,  though  infiltration  of  Jews. 
An  infiltration  is  botmd  to  end  in  disaster.  It  continues  till 
the  inevitable  moment  when  the  native  population  feels  it- 
self threatened,  and  forces  the  government  to  stop  t^  i  fur- 


199 


ther  influx  of  Jews.    Immigration  is  consnuently  futile  un- 
less based  on  an  assured  supremac 

"The  Society  of  Jews  will  treat  with  the  present  mastcs 
of  the  land,  putting  itself  under  the  protectorate  of  the 
European  Powers,  if  they  prove  friendly  to  iht  plan.    We 
could  offer  the  present  possessors  of  the  land  enormous  ad- 
vantages; take  upon  ourselves  part  of  the  public  debt,  build 
new  roads  of  traffic,  which  our  presence  in  the  country 
would  render  necessary,  etc.     The  creation  of  our  State 
would  be  beneficial  to  adjacent  countries,  because  the  culti- 
vation of  a  strip  of  land  increases  the  value  of  its  surround- 
ing districts  in  innumerable  ways. 

"Shall  we  choose  Palestine  or  Argentina?    We  shall  take  P^-^tin-;;, 

what  is  given  us.  and  -.vhat  is  selected  by  Jewish  public 
opinion.    The  Society  will  settle  both  these  points. 

"Argentina  is  one  of  the  most  fertile  countries  in  the 
world,  extends  over  a  vast  area,  has  a  sparse  population  and 
a  mild  climate.  The  Argentine  Republic  would  derive  con- 
siderable profit  from  the  cession  of  a  portion  of  its  territory 
to  us.  The  present  infiltration  of  Jews  has  certainly  pro- 
duced some  friction,  and  it  would  be  necessary  to  enlighten 
the  Republic  c  the  intrinsic  difference  of  our  new  move- 
ment. 

"Palestine  is  our  ever-memorable  historic  home.  The  very 
name  of  Palestine  would  attract  our  people  with  a  force  of 
marvellous  potency.  Supposing  His  Majesty,  the  Sultan, 
tvere  to  give  us  Palestine,  we  could  in  return  pledge  our- 
selves to  regulate  the  whole  finances  of  Turkey.  We  should 
there  form  a  portion  of  ^'  '  rampart  of  Europe  against  Asia. 


stino  the 
al. 


200 


What  mMkninK 
has  Zionism 
forCbristiau? 


an  outpost  of  civilization  as  opposed  to  barbarism.  The 
sanctuaries  of  Christendom  would  be  safeguarded  by  as- 
signing to  them  an  extra  territorial  status,  such  as  is  well 
known  to  the  law  of  nations.  We  should  form  a  guard  of 
honor  about  these  sanctuaries,  answering  for  the  fulfilment 
of  this  duty  with  our  existence.  This  guard  of  honor  would 
be  the  great  symbol  of  the  solution  of  the  Jewish  Question 
after  eighteen  centuries  of  Jewish  suflfering." 

What  significance  has  this  great  national  revival  among 
the  Jews  for  us  Christian  believers?  Has  it  any  prophetic 
meaning?  Is  there  anything  in  the  prophetic  Word,  which 
foretells  such  a  movement  ?  These  are  the  que  tions  often 
asked  by  interested  students  of  the  Word  of  God.  That 
Israel  is  to  be  restored  to  the  land  of  the  fathers,  and  a 
remnant  of  His  people  to  possess  the  land  and  receive  the 
long  promised  blessing,  has  been  clearly  proven  by  the  Scrip- 
ture expositions  contained  in  this  volume.  Zionism,  we 
wish  to  say,  is  not  the  divinely  promised  restoraton  of  Israel. 
That  restoration  is  brought  about  by  the  personal,  visible 
and  glorious  coniiuif  of  the  Son  of  Man.  Zionism  is  not  the 
fulfilment  of  the  large  number  of  predictions  found  in  the 
Old  Testament  Scriptures,  v  nich  relate  to  Israel's  return 
to  the  land.  Indeed,  Zionism  has  very  little  use  for  argu- 
ments from  the  Word  of  God.  It  is  rather  a  political  and 
philanthropic  undo- taking.  Instead  of  coming  together  to 
search  their  owr  scriptures,  humbling  themselves  before 
C^od,  calling  upon  His  name,  trusting  Him,  that  He  is  able 
to  perform,  what   He  has  so  often  promised,  they  speak 


30I 


about  their  riches,    "letr  inimence,  their  Colonial  Bank  and 
court  the  favor  of  the  Sultan.    The  great  movement  is  one 
of  unbelief  and  confidence  in  themselves  instead  of  God's 
eternal  purposes.    It  is  therefore  an  attempt  of  the  Jewish 
people  to  solve  themselves  the  question  of  their  national 
future  and  national  welfare,  without  considering  tha  spirit- 
ual and  the  divine  side  at  all.    If  Zionism  succeeds,  and  ro 
doubt  it  will,  it  will  be  a  partial  retun.  of  the  Jews  in  un-  Ktr„tg««°"'° 
belief  to  their  land.    Is  such  a  return  anywhere  foretold  in 
the  Scriptures?    We  do  not  know  of  a  single  passage  which 
tells  us  that  such  should  be  the  case  and  yet  it  is  evident  by 
all  the  predicted  events  which  fall  into  the  closing  years  of 
this  present  age,  that  in  order  that  these  events  can  be  ful- 
filled, a  part  of  the  Jewish  nation  must  be  back  in  the  land ; 
while  among  them  is  the  believing  remnant,  the  great  ma- 
jority will  be  unbelieving. 

Not  alone  that,  but  a  temple  must  b^  bailt  again  (and 
quite  often  Zionists  have  mentioned  this)  and  a  daily  sacri- 
fice be  brought  (Dan.  xi:3i).  We  k-  ition  a  few  Scrip- 
tures, which  cannot  be  fulfilled  except  a  part  of  the  Jewish 
people  dwell  in  Palestine.  Zechariah  xii ;  xiii  and  xiv ;  Dan- 
iel ix  :37 ;  xi  and  xii ;  Ezekiel  xxxviii ;  Matthew  xxiv,  and 
similar  passages. 

That  one  of  the  first  things  Zionism  did  was  to  send  a  tele- 
gram to  the  Sultan,  expressing  their  thanks  to  him  and  later 
the  Sultan  sending  his  greetings  to  the  congress,  and  that 
Dr.  Herzl  had  repeated  friendly  audiences  with  the  Sultan, 
whom  he  pictured  as  a  kind-hearted  ( !)  man,  is  very  signif- 
icant.     There  are  Scriptures  which  plainly  tell  us,  that  in 


r  :n 


i 


3oa 

some  future  day  a  powerful  ruler  will  make  a  covenant  with 
the  Jews,  claiming  to  be  theit  great  friend  and  giving  them 
great  privileges  in  their  own  land.  It  foreshadows  how 
these  Scriptures  may  soon  be  fulfilled.  There  can  be  no 
doubt  a  great  portion  of  the  Jewish  people  is  nationally 
aroused  and  a  partial  return  of  large  numbers  of  them  may 
soon  be  history.  For  us  Gentiles  this  fact  is  a  solemn  re- 
minder that  the  sands  of  the  times  of  the  Gentiles  are  fast 
running  out.  For  us  Oiristian  believers,  who,  like  the 
Thessalonians,  wait  for  His  Son  from  heaven,  it  is  a  re- 
minder too  that  our  gathering  together  unto  Him  is  not  far 
away. 


TWO  HYMNS  OF  ZIONISM. 


God,  we  implore  of  Thee 

End  Zion's  misery. 

Send  her  Thy  aid ! 

Send  Thou  her  sons  to  heal 

Wounds  which  the  years  reveal. 

Woes  which  at  last  in  weal 

For  aye  shall  fade. 


God,  loving,  tender,  good! 
As  if  in  widowhood 
She  weeps  for  Thee! 
Be  once  more  reconciled, 


f03 

.Vs  father  pities  child 
Pity  her  grief  so  wild, 
She  weeps  for  Thee! 

Now  bid  her  weep  no  more, 
Do  Thou  her  sons  restore — 
Love,  gift  from  Thee! 
Make  those  who  still  would  stay 
In  other  lands  obey 
Thy  holy  law,  that  they 
World-priests  may  be ! 

For  some  by  Thy  command 

Must  live  in  ev'ry  land 

To  make  Thee  known ! 

Priests  to  the  world  are  we 

This  is  our  destiny. 

Till  all  shall  bend  her  knee 

To  Thee  alone.         —Dr.  Pereira  Men    s. 


II. 

Now  that  tlie  bond  is  welded 

And  all  our  hearts  agree, 
Let  us  be  up  and  doing. 

Let  "work"  our  watchword  be. 
Our  hands  with  zeal  and  courage 

Shall  in  this  cause  be  plied ; 
Yet  keeping  peace  unbroktn. 

With  Wisdom  as  our  guide. 


304 

* 

No  vain  and  empty  boasting 

Shall  from  our  lips  proceed; 

Our  vaunt  shall  be  achievement, 

Our  pride,  the  noble  deed. 

Let  zeal  for  high  endeavor 

In  ev'r>'  accent  ring; 

Till  our  great  hope  accomplished 
New  Psalms  to  God  shall  sing. 

O,  long  awaited  moment. 

Dawn  on  the  Jewish  heart, 
When  Israel's  ling'ring  sorrow 

Shall  from  her  soul  depart ; 
When  in  the  olden  homestead 

And  under  Heaven's  ward, 
A  nation  'mid  the  nations, 

His  place  shall  be  restored. 

In  spite  of  foe's  resistance, 

In  spite  of  weakling's  fears, 
We'll  keep  the  truth  here  plighted 

Throiigh  all  the  coming  years  1 
And  never  rest  or  falter 

Until  the  goal  we  see; 
Released  from  slavish  fetter, 

"New  Israel"  stands  forth  free! 


JEV/ISH  STATISTICS. 


Jewish  Statistics. 


TT  is  impossible  to  give  the  exact  number  of  Jews  '-ving  in  ^^^^y^^. 

*     the  world,  for  the  simple  reason  that  no  census  can  be 

taken  of  them.     Jn  fulfillment  of  Prophecy  they  are  now 

scattered  into  the  comers  of  the  earth  and  the  inlands  of  the 

sea     Perhaps  there  is  no  country,  no  nation,  no  ternl  ;y 

in  which  the  Jew  is  missing.    But  recently  remnants  of  the 

Hebrew  race  were  discovered  in  Africa,  and  there  are  Jews 

in  the  interior  of  China  and  elsewhere.     Everywhere  the 

Jew  witnesses  by  his  presence  in  the  great  dispersion  to  the 

truth  of  the  Bible. 

Gentile  hatred  and  superstition,  especially  m  the  middle 
ages,  often  attempted  to  make  an  end  of  the  Jews.    These 
attempts  were  the  manifestation  of  the  same  power  which 
prompted  Haman  of  old  to  have  all  the  Hebrews  slain. 
Satan  hates  the  Jews,  because  they  are  God's  earthly  people 
with  a  wonderful  destiny.    And  he  hates  them  because  He 
who  has  defeated  him  and  who  will  make  an  end  of  his 
power  shortly,  came  according  to  the  flesh  from  that  nation. 
Often  the  poor  blinded  Gentiles,  instruments  of  Satan,  tri- 
umphed because  they  thought  the  Jews  were  getting  less  and 
less  and  would  soon  be  gone  from  the  face  of  the  earth. 
But  like  the  bush  Moses  saw  in  the  desert,  the  fire  burned. 


ao- 


ao8 


Their  proserva- 
tion  a  miracle. 


Jewish  American 
Yeapboolc. 


but  the  bush  was  not  consumed,  so  the  Jews  were  persecuted 
and  not  consumed.  The  preservation  of  the  Jew  is  a  miracle. 
Indeed,  the  greater  the  persecution,  Hke  in  Egypt  of  old, 
the  greater  the  increase.  And  what  happens  to  the  nations 
which  touch  the  burning  bush?  Think  of  Spain,  unhappy 
Spain.  Over  four  hundred  years  ago  they  drove  out  the 
Jews  from  their  country  under  the  most  cruel  circumstances. 
To-da}-  the  sin  of  the  fathers  is  visited  upon  the  children. 
It  is  also  said  that  Jewish  financiers  control  every  railroad 
in  Spain ;  the  whole  country  is  unhappy  and  under  a  curse. 
God  is  faithful  to  His  Word,  "I  will  curse  them  that  curse 
thee."  Russia  is  an  illustration  of  this  word  in  our  days. 
She  is  getting  a  part  payment  for  her  cruelty  to  the  Jew, 
the  balance  will  be  paid  on  the  day  of  the  Lord. 

That  the  Jewish  people  have  wonderfully  increased  during 
the  last  fifty  years  is  a  startling  fact.  The  natural  increase 
is  a  sign  of  God's  favor  upon  them  as  His  earthly  people, 
"like  the  sand  of  the  sea"  they  were  to  be  and  bye  and  bye  in 
the  kingdom  age  they  will  cover  the  whole  face  of  the  earth, 
and  as  they  were  a  curse  among  the  nations  so  will  they  be 
a  blessing. 

Not  many  years  ago  we  read  in  geographies  and  statistics 
that  the  Jews  number  about  seven  million.  To-day  no  one 
would  give  this  figure.  The  lowest  estimate  is  ten  million, 
and  some  state  '  :  eighteen  and  twenty  million  are  nearer 
the  truth. 

The  new  American  Jewish  Yearbook  contains  the  follow- 
ing numbers : 


209 


THE    BRITISH    EMPIRE. 


England  and  Wales  176,000 

Scotland    8,200 

Ireland   3.898 

Australasia   16,850 

Canada  and  British  Co- 
lumbia       25,000 

Barbadoes    " 

Trinidad    ^i 

Jamaica    2400 

India    


South  Africa    30,ooo 

Gibraltar    2,000 

173 
3.000 
119 
143 
535 


Malta    

Aden    

Cyprus   

Hong  Kong 

Straits  Settlement 


Total    286,598 


18,228 


GENERAL  JEWISH  STATISTICS. 
States   1.253.213      Netherlands   103.988 


United 

British  Empire  286,598 

Abyssinia    (Falashas)  . .    120,000 
Argentine  Republic  ....     22,500 

Austria-Hungary    2,076,378 

Belgium    ",000 

Bosnia,  Herzegovina    ..       8,213 

Brazil    3-000 

China    300 

Costa  Rica  43 

Cuba    4.000 


Curacao  '°3 

Surinam  ^''21 

Persia  35.ooo 

Peru  498 

Roumania  262,348 

Russia    5,189.401 

Servia    6,000 

Spain   402 

Sweden  and  Norway..  .        .M02 
Switzerland    12-264 


^"''^    --^ ,^6     Turkey   466.361 

^^""^"•^    ^''^  Bulgaria    33-717 


25,200 
1,150 


Egypt  

Crete  

Turkistan  and  Afghan- 
istan         14.000 

Venezuela  


411 


France    90,ooo 

Algeria    57,132 

Tunis    60,000 

Germany    (2) 586.948 

Greece   5-792 

Italy  35.6x7 

Luxemtiurg    '-201 

Mexico    1'°°° 

Morocco    150,000 

Professor  Heman.  of  Basle.  Switzerland,  a  man  who  has 
heen  deeply  interested  in  the  Jews  for  many  years  and  who 


Total     10,932,777 


■f1 


'-^^^M^tmi^^taBi'. 


2IO 

has  given  the  subject  a  careful  study,  has  recently  declared 
that  the  Jewish  population  of  the  world  is  at  Itaot  19,000,000. 

His  estimate  is  that,  in  Europe  11,000,000  of  Jews  reside, 
and  outside  of  Europe,  8,000,000. 
owismuuon.  jy^^  United  States  has  1,000,000.  In  Europe,  Russia  has 
5,500,000;  Austria-Hungary,  1,860,000;  Germany,  568,000; 
Roumania,  300,000;  Great  Britain,  200,000;  Turkey,  120,- 
000;  Holland,  97,000;  France,  77,000;  Italy,  50,000;  Bul- 
garia, 31,000;  Switzerland,  12,000;  Greece,  6,000;  Servia, 
5,000;  Denmark,  4,000;  Sweden,  3,500;  Belgium,  3,000; 
Spain,  2,500.    Portugal  has  only  300  Jewish  residents. 

We  believe  the  statistics  of  the  Jewish  American  Yearbook 
are  too  low  and  the  statements  of  Mr.  Heman  are  too  high. 
Most  likely  fifteen  and  one-half  millions  of  Jews  living  in 
the  world  in  1904  comes  nearer  the  truth. 

The  Jewish  American  Yearbook  underestimates  the  Jew- 
ish Russian  population  and  while  in  the  main  correct  as 
regards  Europe,  the  number  of  Jews  living  in  non-European 
countries  is  placed  much  too  low. 

We  think,  from  close  observation,  that  in  the  United 
States  over  one  and  one-half  millions  of  Jews  reside,  and 
they  are  continually  increasing;  Jewish  immigration  is  at 
present  very  large  again.  The  largest  Jewish  city  of  the 
worid  is  Greater  New  York,  over  500,000  reside  in  this  great 
metropolis.  The  New  York  Jewish  quarter  is  the  largest  of 
its  kind  which  ever  existed  in  the  history  of  the  world.  It 
has  its  own  language,  the  Yiddish,  its  theatres  and  a  semi- 
Oriental  life  is  kept  up.  Here,  as  elsewhere,  they  are  stran- 
gers in  a  strange  land,  though  thousands  call  America  their 


311 


Palestine  and  New  York  a  better  Jerusalem,  still  they  are 
"a  people  dwelling  alone." 

The  continued  increase  of  the  seed  of  Abraham  is  one  of 
the  signs  of  the  times. 


Ij 


•ii-', 

it 

lit 


'i*f'-4'V'*'^AlUft 


THE  JEWISH  POPULATION  OF 
PALESTINE. 


,-  iltAL  .-».-..    T^^^SI 


I 


The  Jewish  Population  of  Palestine. 

THE  return  of  Jews  to  Palestine  has  been  very  marked 
during  the  last  ten  years.  The  possibility  that  thous- 
ands may  return  is  ^reat.  Up  to  1832  European  Jews  were 
repeatedly  banished  from  the  land.  In  1874  an  accurate 
statistician  gave  the  number  of  Jews  living  in  Palestine  as 
10,000.  The  same  person,  twenty  years  later,  in  1894,  esti- 
mates that  49,960  lived  then  in  the  leading  towns  of  Pales- 
tine; an  increase  in  tweny  years  of  about  40,000.  In  the 
last  ten  years  the  Jewish  population  in  Palestine  has  almost 

doubled. 

Jerusalem  has  never  been  such  a  "Jewish"  city  since  the 
year  70  as  it  is  to-day,  and  the  city  has,  with  its  railroad 
station,  electric  lights,  etc.,  quite  a  modern  appearance.  The 
Jews  living  in  the  land  .  re  from  almost  every  country  of 
the  world.    This  in  itself  is  a  significant  fact. 

Some  years  ago  we  printed  in  "Our  Hope"  a  series  of 
articles  on  the  Jews  in  Palestine  and  their  condition.  The 
information  comes  from  a  reliable  source*  and  we  give  part 

of  it  now : 

I.  The  Jews  of  Palestine  are  very  various  as  to  origin; 
they  are  indeed  from  all  parts  of  the  world.  A  rough  divi- 
sion may  be  made  into  the  Arabic-speaking  and  the  Yiddish- 
speaking  Jews.    Of  the  first  mentioned,  the  great  majority 


1? 


::f- 


*E.  W.  Masterman,  C.  L. 


215 


3X6 

are  the  Sephardim  Jews,  who  have  resided  in  the  Turkish 
Empire  for  many  generations. 

It  is  well  known  that  at  the  time  of  the  Crusades  there 
were  verv  few  Jews  in  Palestine-probably  at  most  not  more 
than  about  a  thousand.    The  Jews  in  Jerusalem  itself  were 
nearly  all  killed  in  1099.  by  the  Crusaders.    After  the  fall  of 
the  Kingdom  of  Jerusalem  they  began  to  return,  and  early 
in  the  thirteenth  century  we  hear  of  300  Jewish  rabbis  from 
France  and  England  coming  to  the  Holy  Land.    The  larger 
number,  however,  of  the  present  Sephardim  are  descendants 
of  those  Jews  who  were  driven  out  of  Spain  in  1492  bv  the 
edicts  of  Ferdinand  and  Isabella.    The  majority  of  these 
have  found  their  way  to  Palestine  from  other  parts  of  the 
Turkish  Empire,  and  notably  from  Constantinople.  Through 
all  their  years  of  wandering  since  they  left  Spain  they  have 
maintained  their  Spanish-a  Spanish  which,  of  course  (as  in 
every  language  spoken  by  Jews),  is  amplified  by  the  addi- 
tion of  Hebraisms,  but  which  keeps  the  leading  character- 
istics of  the  Spanish  of  4<^  years  ago.    All  the  Sephardim 
know  Arabic,  and  those  living  in  the  North-in  ancient 
Galilee  and  Syria-speak  Arabic  habitually,  and  have  in  the 
majority  of  cases  completely  dropped  Spanish.     It  is  very 
curious  whereas  the  communities  at  Jerusalem,  Hebron,  and 
JafTa,  etc.,  speak  Spanish  constantly,  the  same  communities 
in  Safed,  Tiberias,  and  Damascus  scarcely  use  any  Spanish 
at  all.    During  a  revulence  of  some  months  in  Galilee  I  only 
met  one  or  two  persons  who  knew  Spanish,  and  they  were 

from  Jerusalem. 

It  will  be  convenient  to  class  under  this  headmg  many 


ai7 


smaller  groups  of  Eastern  Jews.  Of  these.  I  would  men- 
tion especially  the  Mugrabin  or  Marocco,  the  Yemenite  and 
the  Georgian  or  Circassian  Jews.  There  are  also  many 
small  communities  of  Jews  from  Aleppo,  Bagdad.  Persia 
and  Bokhara,  who  keep  themselves  in  many  respects  apart 

from  others. 

The  Mugrabin  or  Marocco  Jews  are  particularly  poor, 
and  are  probably  the  most  degraded  of  all  the  Jewish  com- 
munities. They  speak  the  Arabic  dialect  of  North  Africa, 
from  whence  they  come,  and  in  some  leading  characteristics 
resemble  the  Mugrabin  Arabs  who  have  come  to  Palestine 
at  various  times.  They  ire  very  closely  identified  with  the 
Sephardim  in  religious  ritual. 

The  Yemen  Jew  is  from  South  Arabia,  and  is  distin- 
guished by  his  swarthy  skin,  his  coal-black  hair,  his  cork- 
screw forelock,  and  his  complete  familiarity  with  what  is 
recognized   in  Jerusalem   as  the   good  dialect  of   Arabic. 
They  are  a  poor  community,  mostly  in  rags,  though  they 
are  hard-working.     As  they  have  been  in  Jerusalem  only 
about  a  dozen  years,  and  arrived  penniless,  they  have  not 
yet  had  time  to  establish  a  good  position  for  themselves 
Except  for  the  cork-screw  forelock,  their  appearance  would 
never  lead  an  inexperienced  observer  to  suspect  that  he  was 
looking  upon  ->.  Jew.    Many  of  them  are  very  dark  indeed- 
much  darker  than  the  Fellahin  of  the  mountams. 

A  very  different  community  from  the  two  mentioned  is 
that  of  the  Gourgee  or  Circassian  Jews.  These  come  from 
Kurdistan  and  still  further  north.  In  many  of  their  physiog- 
nomical peculiarities,  as  well  as  in  their  dress,  they  resemble 


M 


918 


I 


the  Circassians,  who  were  once  their  neighbors.  They  are 
a  fine,  tall  race,  with  long  fair  faces,  generally  dark  hair 
and  prominent  features.  They  have  none  of  the  cringing 
servility  of  an  average  Ashkenaz  Jew.  As  a  community 
they  are  comparatively  rich,  and  have  established  them- 
selves both  inside  and  outside  the  walls  of  Jerusalem,  and 
in  smaller  numbers  in  JaflEa.  Russian  and  Georgian  arc 
their  native  languages,  and  many  take  advantage  of  their 
knowledge  of  the  former  to  supply  the  necessity  of  the 
Russian  pilgrims. 

The  remaining  Eastern  Jews  are  from  various  parts  of 
the  Eastern  Turkish  Empire,  from  Persia,  from  Central 
Asia  and  India.    Of  these,  the  richest  and  most  prosperous 
are  the  Jews  from  Bokhara,  who  form  an  increasing  com- 
munity, and  are  now  building  some  handsome  houses  a  little 
way  out  of  the  city  of  Jerusalem.    The  Bokhara  Jews  are 
physically  well  developed,  and  both  the  Jews  ahd  Jewesses 
dress  in  cloths  of  the  most  fantastic  colors,  in  which  bright 
yellows  and  reds  play  a  prominent  part.     Some  of  their 
garments  remind  one  of  the  fantastic  dresses  forced  upon 
the  heretics  condemned  to  be  burnt  by  the  Spanish  Inquisi- 
tion. 

The  second  great  community  of  Jews  in  Palestine,  and 
the  one  which  is  yearly  becoming  of  greater  importance,  is 
the  Ashkenaz  community.  This  is  composed  of  Jews  from 
Russia,  Poland,  Germany  and  Austria,  chiefly.  The  charac- 
teristic Jew  of  Whitechapel  is  an  Ashkenaz  Jew.  Although 
the  community  is  primarily  from  the  countries  mentioned 
above,  they  come  from  most  European  countries,  and  by 


219 

secondary  emigration,  from  North  America    the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope,  and  Australia.    This  class  of  Jews  has  only  l^en 
allowed  to  settle  in  Pale.Mnc  since  183..  before  wh.ch  date 
they  were  repeatedly  expelled.    The  type  is  so  well  known  to 
English  people  that  it  seems  hardly  worth  while  to  enlarge 
upon  it.    They  usually  have  fair  hair  and  hght  ey«.  but 
oS^erwise  the  cast  of  face  appears  to  be  mud;  modified, 
according  to  whether  they  come  from  Russia.  Germany  or 
further  west.    Hooked  noses,  supposed  vulgarly  to  be  ^ 
characteristic  of  Jews,  are  not  by  any  means  common.    The 
language  of  the  Ashkenaz  Jew  is.  as  is  well  known.  Yxd- 
dish-a  language  which,  while  in  its  foundation  German 
differs  greatly  from  it  in  pronunciation  and  grammatical 
*•         Tt  U  too   corrupted  by  the  individual  speak- 
construction.    It  is,  too,  corrupiea  vy  t:„„m^u 

ing  it  who  introduces  Russian.  Polish,  German  or  Engl^h 
Jo  k  according  to  taste.     It  goes  without  saying  that 
Yiddish  is  not  ^-'A6ish  without  a  good  spnnklmg  of  Hebrew 
words.     The  Ashkenaz  community  are  divided  into  two 
great  groups,  the  Perushim  and  the  Chassidim,  from  differ- 
ences in  religious  ritual  which  do  not  concern  us  here     I^ 
should  be  n-^ntioned  that  there  is  a  spnnklmg  of  Jews  from 
France,  who.  in  proportion  to  their  small  numbers  have  a 
great  influence  among  the  other  Jews  in  the  country,  both 
Lellectually  and  re  piously.    It  is  of  great  interest  to  every 
scientific  observer  to  notice  how  completely  the  Jews,  while 
remaining  a  separate  people,  have  in  physiognomy,  m  dress 
and  to  a  great  extent  in  habit,  become  like  the  people  among 
whom  they  have  so  long  dwelt.    The  Sephardim  Jew   the 
Yemenite,  and  the  Mugr.bin,  are  all  very  like  the  Arabs  of 


tpitinm^y^^tm^'*' 


330 


their  respective  places  of  long  residence;  the  Georgian  Jew 
is  very  much  like  the  Circassian.  Among  the  Ashkenaz 
Jews  one  finds  many  a  Russian  Jewess  in  outward  appear- 
ance the  image  of  the  Russian  pilgrim  who  haunts  Jerusa- 
lem at  Easter  time,  while  many  a  comely  Jewess  from  hap- 
pier surroundings  in  Germany  has  an  unmistakable  German 

physiognomy.* 

The  vast  majority  of  the  Jews  are  naturally  Turkish  sub- 
jects, and  can  claim  no  other  protection.  Many  come  mto 
the  country  as  subjects  of  other  nations,  but  their  children 
become  subjects  of  the  Ottoman  Empire.  Some  years  ago, 
many  Jews  made  a  great  effort  to  come  under  the  protection 
of  Great  Britain,  but  after  considerable  numbers  were  en- 
rolled as  British  subjects,  iurther  additions  were  prevented 
by  order  of  the  British  Government.  Most,  if  not  all.  the 
Bokhara  and  some  of  the  Gourgee  Jevs  are  under  R'lssian 

protection.  . 

Every  community,  even  the  small  ones,  is,  m  religious 
matters,  governed  by  its  own  Chief  Rabbi;  but  all  the  Jews 
of  Palestine  are  officially  under  the  Chief  Rabbi  of  Jerusa- 
lem, who  holds  a  firman  fro.n  the  Sultan,  has  his  own  cavass 
or  Turkish  guard,  and  is,  in  Jerusalem,  only  second  m  au- 
thority to  the  Pashaw.  Hitherto  this  official  has  always 
been  drawn  from  the  Sephardim  community,  but  the  Ash- 
kenazim.  on  account  of  their  increasing  numbers,  are  hoping 


^Intermarriage  has,  of  course,  in  some  cases  modified  the  tjpc^ 
I  know  of  two  or  three  jet-black  Negresses  .n  Jerusalem  who  have 
become  proselytes  to  the  Jewish  faith,  and  one  has  a  son  m  whom 
the  Negro  type  is  quite  evident. 


321 

lo  have  one  of  their  own  number  elected  to  the  port  before 

'°  n'     From  this  somewhat  scanty  account  of  the  Jewish 
communities  in  Palestine  let  us  now  turn  to  ^^^[^^ 
and  prospects.    It  will  be  convenient  .n  considering  this 
divide  off  the  Jews  of  Palestine  into  four  rough  classes . 

(,)  Those  Jews  who  spend  their  whole  time  in  purely 
religious  occupations-.,  s-.  the  study  of  the  sacred  books- 
and  those  whose  great  object  in  coming  to  the  country  ,s  to 

die  on  holy  soil. 

,2)  J.w=  who  have,  perhap..  com.  to  the  country  from 
„.U„,  motives,  but  who  have  still  to  earn  the,r  l.vmg  to 

siTt  out  their  scanty  "Haluka,"  th,.  allowance  they  rec.v 
from  funds  contributed  by  Jews  of  other  countr,es  for  the,r 

"■^(^"xhose  who  have  been  brought  up  in  the  country,  and 

have  had  to  cam  their  own  living  unassisted. 

(4)  Jews  who  have  by  various  philanthrope  agences 

been  settled  in  agricultural  communities  on  the  land. 
I,  should  also  perhaps  be  mentioned  that  there  are  be  .de 

these  a  considerable  number  of  paupers  subs,stmg  on  lo  al 

Iharity.  Some  of  these  hav.  go.  admission  into  the  country 
i„  a  sute  of  penury,  and  have  U,rough  various  reasons  been 
„„able  to  rise  above  their  poverty.  It  is  well  known  th  t 
they  generally  do  rise  if  their  surroundings  make  .t  possible, 
other!  are  widows  with  children,  whose  husbands  came  >n.o 
.be  countrv  in  perhaps  enfeebled  health,  tor  rehg.ous  pu. 
pos«,  or  who.  perchance,  always    Uved  "from  hand  to 


.,:.r,-VV 


232 


mouth."  Yet  others  are  remnants  of  a  time  when  it  was 
thought  that  all  the  rising  generation  should  learn  only  to 
read  the  Talmud  and  despise  a  trade.  These  very  poor 
Jews  occur  of  course  in  the  large  towns,  but  more  especially 
in  the  two  largest  Jewish  communities,  Jerusalem  and  Safed. 
Some  are  beggars  by  profession.  It  must  not  be  thought, 
as  many  would  think  who  read  the  erroneous  accounts  pub- 
lished regarding  Jerusalem,  that  a  very  large  proportion 
belong  to  this  class.  It  is  a  class  much  to  be  pitied,  but  not, 
I  believe,  so  needy  nor  so  large  a  class  as  in  most  European 
cities. 

(i)  With  regard  to  the  Chachams  (i.  e.,  "sages,"  in- 
cluded in  class  i),  who  in  all  communities  are  supported 
for  their  religious  duties,  it  is  unnecessary  to  say  much. 
They  are,  if  sufficiently  learned,  fairly  well  provided  for  by 
the  Haluka,  which  is  collected  for  this  purpose  from  all 
parts  of  the  world.  In  the  Sephardim  community  of  Jeru- 
salem, the  Chachams  who  devote  their  whole  time  to  the 
study  of  the  law,  number  upwards  of  300  families,  and 
from  this  number  certain  "messengers  of  the  congregations" 
are  deputed  to  travel  all  over  the  world  to  collect  funds  for 
the  support  of  the  whole  body  of  religious  men.  They  often 
travel  far :  I  know  one  such  messenger  personally,  who  has 
visited  on  this  errand  almost  every  European  country,  as 
well  as  India,  North  Africa,  and  America.  These  messen- 
gers are  well  paid,  and  the  posts  are  naturally  coveted. 

Among  the  Sephardim  almost  all  the  Haluka  goes  to  the 
chief  men :  there  are  a  few  minor  appointments  which  help 


UiL 


333 

a  few,  but  the  great  bulk  of  these  Jews  have  no  special 
fund,  though  there  are  many  charitable  institutions  for  pro- 
viding houses  and  other  assistance. 

In  the  Ashkenaz  communities,  on  the  other  hand,  almost 
all  the  individuals  receive  some  pecuniary  assistance,  but  it 
varies  very  much  according  to  the  place   from  which  it 

comes. 

The  whole  Ashkenaz  community  is  divided  into  two  great 
groups— the  Perushim  and  the  Chassidim— but  each  of  these 
divisions  is  with  respect  to  the  Haluka  subdivided:  Thus, 
the  Perushim  Ashkenazim  from  Warsaw  have  a  fund  to 
divide  among  themselves  sent  from  Warsaw;  those  from 
Minsk  have  another  fund  derived  from  that  district,  and  so 
on.    There  are  nine  main  subdivisions  under  the  Jerusalem 
Perushim,  and  five  under  the  Jerusalem  Chassidim  Jews. 
Not  only  does  the  Haluka  vary  very  much  according  as  to 
whence  it  comes,  but  as  the  communities  in  Europe,  es- 
pecially in  Russia,  have  got  poorer,  the  Haluka  has  got  less 
and  less,  and  many  of  the  Jews  could  not  possibly  live  on  it 

alone. 

Many  of  the  Chachams  among  the  Ashkenazim,  however, 
have  come  to  Palestine  in  extreme  old  age  or  in  failing 
middle  age  to  pass  their  declining  years  in  studying  the  Law 
and  the  other  sacred  books  on  sacred  soil,  and  to  lay  their 
bones  within  Holy  Land.  This  is  the  case  with  great  num- 
bers in  the  "colonies"  around  Jerusalem,  and  perhaps  more 
so  still  in  Safed,  where  most  of  the  Ashkenazim  belong  to 

that  category. 
A  certain  proportion  of  the  members  of  the  smaller  com- 


«* 


V' 

\\\ 


334 

nninities  belong  to  this  class.  Not  a  few  of  this  class  have 
come  with  a  good  income,  either  sent  to  them  from  their  old 
homes  or  derived  from  savings  brought  with  them. 

(2)  By  easy  steps  we  pass  to  the  second  class,  where  we 
find  men  who  have  come  from  purely  religious  motives,  but, 
finding  it  impossible  to  man^ige  on  their  Haluka,  or,  perhaps, 
marrying  in  middle  life  and  burdening  themselves  thus  with 
extra  cares  and  expenses,  are  obliged  to  'lo  something  to 
earn  a  livelihood.     Many  of  this  latter  class  become  tailors, 
small    shopkeepers,    etc.,    while    among    the    Sephardim 
Chachams  some  may  find  extra  remuneration  as  teachers  and 
readers  of  the  Mishna,  offers  of  prayers  with  the  sick,  etc. 
Some  have  a  kind  of  hereditary  right  to  some  assistance 
from    some  of  the  colleges    (so-called)    for    .eading   the 
Talmud,  though  they  do  not  themselves  necessarily  study 

much. 

(3)  We  next  come  to  the  very  interesting  class  of  Jews 
who  are  earning  their  livelihood  in  the  country  in  various 
ways,  and  with  these  I  wish  to  deal  somewha;  more  at 
length.  It  will  be  noticed  that  those  previously  mentioned 
are  more  or  less  living  on  the  earnings  of  others  and  spend- 
ing money  sent  to  them  from  other  lands.  Like  so  large  a 
proportion  of  residents  in  the  country,  they  live  on  the 
religious  enthusiasm   of   their  co-religionists  in   their  old 

homes. 

The  Tews  engaged  in  business  in  Palestine  are  very 
numerous,  and  they  belong  to  all  classes  of  the  community ; 
they  are  foiuid  in  all  parts  of  the  country.  Tlius.  if  you 
visit  the  towns  along  the  coast  from  Gaza  to  Bey  rout  you 


225 

will  find  in  every  place  not  only  that  there  are  Jews  in 
business,  but  that  a  large  proportion  of  the  business  is  in 
their  hands.    There  is  no  town  of  importance  in  the  country 
without  its  representative  of  the  nation,  and  in  many  villages 
vou   will  find  one  or   more  Jews  engaged   in  keeping  a 
"general   store,"    or   in   "cobbling."    or    in    money-lending. 
When  traveling  in  the  country  in   1893,  I  arrived  with  a 
party  at    an  out-of-the-way  village  called  El  Burj,  on  the 
borders  of  the  hill  cou-         ^f  Judea.  about  four  hours'  ride 
from  Lydda.     Scarcel;  the  tents  been   set  when  out 

came  the  inevitable  Jexv  ;  who  this  time  was  engaged  in 
cheese-making  for  the  benefit  of  the  Fellahin.  When  jour- 
neving  in  1894  in  Upper  Galilee,  on  the  way  to  Tyre  and 
Sidon.  I  stopped  for  the  night  at  the  little  village  of  Rumash 
and  there,  sure  enough,  was  the  Jew  and  his  little  shop. 
In  the  miserable,  squalid  village  of  Jericho,  in  the  mountain 
fastness  of  Kerak  in  Moab,  and  amongst  the  Bedouin  of 
the  Hauran   (engaged  in  corn-buying  generally),  you  wdl 

come  across  Jews. 

In  Jerusalem,  Jews  have  most  of  the  money-changing 
and  money-lending  in  their  hands,  and,  except  for  some 
German  shops,  they  do  most  of  the  general  business.  The 
cleverest  of  handicrafts  are  the  Ashkenazim,  who  have  most 
of  the  furniture-making,  oH  -wood  woik,  plumber's  work, 
watch  and  clockmaking,  1xx)k-binding.  printing,  etc.,  while 
the  Sephardim  are  most  successful  as  drapers,  fancy  trim- 
ming sellers,  etc.  All  classes,  i.  c,  Mugrabin  and  Yemens, 
as  well  as  those  mention  ed  above,  flourish  as  tailors,  cobblers, 
rough  tinmen,  etc. 


Ii 


.h 


226 

Many  act  as  carriage-drivers  in  places  where  carriages 
are  used,  such  as  Jerusalem,  Jaffa,  etc.,  and  the  poorer  ones 
carrv  loads  on  their  lacks,  or  go  up  and  down  the  country 
s  "mokarris"  or  ::     cteers.    Their  cleverness  and  industry 
are  indisputable.    You  may  watch  many  a  Jew  in  a  miserable 
little  place  where  he  has  scarcely  room  to  move  a  leg,  or 
under  a  tmy  awning,  sit  tapping  away  at  mending  shoes  or 
soldering  together  the  many  wonderful  tin  articles  which  he 
makes  out  of  old  petroleum  tins.    The  competition  is  very 
great   and  (as  in  the  east  of  London)  the  Jew  will  work 
with  a  minimum  margin  of  profit.    A  list  of  all  the  various 
trades   followed  by  Jews  in  Palestine  would  fill  a  whole 
page;  but  to  show  that  it  is  not  only  the  rougher  trades 
which  are  followed,  I  must  mention  that  I  know  of  Jews 
who  are   surgical   instrument  makers,  chemists,   electrical 
machinists,  broom  makers,  etc. 

It  goes  without  saying  that  the  Jews  derive  a  very  great 
share  of  their  custom  in  such  places  as  Jerusalem  and  Jaffa 
from  the  variouo  religious  societies  which  exist  there.    They 
work  also  for  the  natives  of  the  country;  indeed,  there  is 
much  work  in  the  country,  introduced  by  the  spread  of 
European  ideas,  which  only  Jews  can  at  present  do.    There 
is   however,  comparatively  little  work  for  so  many  Jews  to 
do,  and  often  the  competition  is  so  severe  that  the  workers 
can  scarcely  get  enough  to  live  upon.    There  are  very  few 
more  openings  for  Jews  in  the  country,  and  I  do  not  hesitate 
to  say  that,  unless  the  general  prosperity  of  the  country 
increases  in  some  extraordinary  and  unlooked  for  way.  there 
cannot  be  much  more  opening  for  the  Jews  in  these  direc- 


227 

tions.     The  Fellahin,  on  the  other  hand,  cannot  support 
more  Jews,  useful  as  they  might  be  to  them  in  many  ways, 
for  the  simple  reason  that  they  are  so  ground  down  by  the 
Turkish  Government  that  they  have  scarcely  enough  money 
for  the  bare  necessities,  let  alone  luxuries,  of  life.     No 
doubt  a  certain  number  may  find  openings  for  work  in  the 
larger  villages,  where  the  simplest  jew  is  a  genius  at  hand- 
work compared  with  the  average  Fellah;  but  this  at  the 
outside  must  be  confined  to  a  hundred  or  two,  and  life  in  the 
villages  cannot  be  very  comfortable  at  the  oest.     Most  of 
those  who  now  get  money  in  the  villages  have  to  itinerate 
widely  if  they  are  to  get  a  sufficient  profit  out  of  their  ex- 
pedition.    V  ery  few  Jews  can  get  rich  in  Palestine.     It  is 
no  uncommon  thing  for  a  poor  and  apparently  pauper  Jew 
to  die  in  the  midst  of  one  of  the  communities,  and  for  a  bag 
of  money— one  or  two  hundred  napoleons  perhaps— to  be 
found  stowed  away  in  some  secret  place.    But  such  riches 
have  seldom  or  never  been  earned  in  the  coimtry.    It  is  the 
remains  of  money  brought  into  the  country  from  abroad. 
Many  a  poor  Jew,  having  m-.de  his  "pile,"  packs  up  his 
goods  with  it  and  goes  off  to  .he  Holy  Land  to  end  his 
days  in  peace. 


1.1 


il  I 


THE  NORTHERN   POWER. 


m 


The  Northern  Power. 


MORE  than  once  do  we  read  in  the  prophetic  Word, 
that  the  last  troubler  of  the  Tews  will  be  a  northern 
power,  one  coming  from  the  North.  (Joel  ii  :20 ;  Micah  v  -.5. 
6-  Daniel  xi;  Ezekiel  xxxviii  and  xxxix) ;  other  passages 
make  this  fact  known.  The  .Assyrian,  so  prominent  m  the 
first  part  of  Isaiah's  vision,  typifies  that  great  northern  one 
coming  upon  the  Jews  in  the  very  last  days. 

Can  it  be  determined  at  this  time  which  is  that  northern 
oower^    We  do  not  hesitate  at  all  to  answer  this  question  m 
Ihe  affi'rmative.    The  great  land  of  the  North  must  be  Rus-  Hu«.a 
sia     There  are  several  reasons  for  it. 

;  Nearly  six  millions  of  Hebrews  live  in  Russia  to-day, 
and  as  nowhere  else  they  are  bitterly  persecuted.  Russia  is 
the  greatest  enemy  of  the  Jews  among  the  nations  m  modern 

*Tlt  is  an  open  secret  that  Russia  is  striving  to  lay  hold 
of  Jerusalem  and  Palestine.  Jerusalem  is  to  become  the 
great  capital  of  the  Greek  church. 

,  From  certain  prophecies  we  can  easily  learn  that  Russia 
must  be  the  northern  power.  For  instance,  in  Ezekie 
xxxviii -.2  we  read,  correctly  translated,  "Son  of  man  set 
thy  face  against  Gog,  the  land  of  Magog,  prince  of  Rosh, 
Meshech  and  Tubal."  Gog  and  Magog  occupied  in  ancient 
timei.  the  territory  which  belongs  to  Russia  now^  Rosh 
reminds  us  of  Russia;  Meshech  of  Moscow  and  Tubal  of 


333 


Kii!«ia  in 
Palestine. 


i     : 
! 
i     1 


i  I     ! 


Tobolsk.  And  this  prince  of  Rosh,  Meshech  and  Tubal, 
brings  a  g  '•at  multitude  with  him  (Ezek.  xxxviii:5,  6). 
Russia  has  conquered  and  amalgamated  many  nations,  m- 
cluding  a  good  part  of  Asia. 

Very  marked  indeed  are  tl  lesigns  Russia  has  on  the 
Holy  Land.  Not  very  long  ago,  a  very  detailed  account  of 
Russia's  influence  and  diplomacy  in  Palestine  appeared  in 
one  of  the  London  papers.    We  give  a  portion  of  it : 

"The  idl  importance  of  the  German  Emperor's  trip  to 
the  Holy  Land,  a  visit  made  ostensibly  in  the  future  inter- 
ests of  German  commerce,  was  appreciated  clearly  by  Rus- 
sian statecraft ;  for  it  led  to  renewed  eflforts  under  the  guise 
of  missionary  zeal  on  the  part  of  Russia.  The  rapid  in- 
crease in  the  number  of  Russian  churches  a.id  schools  m 
Syria  and  Palestine  of  recent  years  did  not  escape  the  notice 
of  M.  Constans,  the  French  Ambassador  at  the  Porte. 
Three  years  ago  that  diplomat  made  the  following  remarks 
'vhen  addressing  the  teaching  staff  of  a  French  Jesuit  school 
in  Constantinople:  'We  have  to  meet  terrible  opponents — 
rivals  who  wish  to  undermine  our  influence,  and  to  drive  us 
forth  from  Palestine.  The  Protestants  spend  a  great  deal  of 
money  without  success,  but  the  Russians  alone  are  danger- 
ous to  us.  Three  years  ago  9,000  children  attended  the  Rus- 
sian schools  in  Syria,  and  now  their  number  is  15,000.  !■ 
this  increase  continues,  then  perhaps  in  ten  years  Russia  will 
have  given  French  influence  there  its  coup  de  grace.' 
These  remarks  were  justified,  to-day  there  are  155  Russian 
schools  in  Syria  and  Palestine.  A  Russian  s((uadron,  nnder 
Rear  Admiral  Krieger,  and  consisting  of  one  cruiser,  two 


«33 

gtmboats,  and  one  torpedo-boat,  appeared  off  Jaffa  early 
last  March.     The  vessels  anchored  for  a  week,  while  the 
admiral  and  the  greater  part  of  the  crews  went  to  Jerusalem 
b\-  rail.    This  visit  was  really  an  object-lesson  tor  the  crews, 
who  could  thus  carr>   back  to  Russia  glowing  accounts  of 
the  "New  Jerusalem,"  which  Russia  is  creating,  and  which 
one   day   may   become    of    immense    i)olitical    importance. 
Among  all  the  foreign  Christian  communities,  Russia  has 
taken  the  lead  throughout  the  Holy  Land,  and  especially 
in  Jerusalem,  in  buying  land  and  in  building  and  establishing 
missions,  schools,  hospitals,  and  monasteries.     The  Russian 
'New  Jerusalem,"  with  its  fine  modern  buildings,  forms  a 
little  town  of  itself ;  in  fact,  it  is  a  fortress  that  commands 
Jerusalem.    It  consists  of  a  mission  house  with  a  school  and 
hospital,  of  a  pilgrims'  shelter,  of  dwellings  for  clerical  and 
lay  officials,  of  the  palace  lor  the  future  Patriarch  and  the 
Consul-Ceneral,  and  of  two  churches,  one  of  which,  the 
.•athedral,  towers  alwve  the  whole  of  Jerusalem.    All  these 
buildings  are  surrounded  by  a  fortress-wall.     Russia  has 
bought  one-third  of  the  Mount  of  Olives,  and  enclosed  it 
and  the  Gethsemane  church  by  a  wall ;  while  from  beyond 
the  Jordan  there  can  be  seen  the  lofty  Russian  tower  built 
on  the  summit  of  the  Mount,  and  close  to  the  Church  of  the 
Ascension. 

"It  is  a  marked  feature  of  Russian  statecraft  that  it  looks 
with  no  favoring  eye  upon  individual  effort.  er.':ept  and  in 
so  far  as  such  effort  may  be  turned  to  account  in  the  inter- 
ests of  the  Empire.  The  Russian  Palestine  Society  has  ex- 
isted nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century,  and  it  plays  a  very  impor- 


!|;^ 


334 

tant  part  as  the  tool  of  Pan-Slavism  in  Syria  and  Palestine. 
Its  prcsi.lent  is  iho  Grand  Duke  Serge,  and  ainonp;  its  mem- 
bers are  the  powerful  loaders  of  the  Pan-Slav  movement. 
For  many  years  the  Russian  Government  refused  to  grant 
its  protection  to  the  Society ;  but,  when  the  stealthy  advance 
of  Russia  had  brought  it  practically  within  striking  distance 
of  the  Euphrates  Valley,  and  when  Teutor  activity  in  Pales- 
tine began  to  show  signs  of  becoming  a  factor  to  be  reckoned 
with   then  did  the  Russian-Palestine  Society  succeed  at  last 
in  gaining  the  ear  of  Russian  ofTicialism.    The  main  object 
of  the  Society  seems  to  be  that  of  maintaining  Russian 
schools  in  the  Holy  Land;  in  fact,  the  education  of  the  child- 
ren of  Syria  and  Palestine  attracts  a  vast  amount  of  atten- 
tion and  money  that  could  be  spent  to  far  greater  profit  in 
European  Russia.    Some  portion  of  the  vast  s'ms  of  money 
raised  in  Russia  by  the  Palestine  Society  is  i.sed  m  mam- 
taining  the  schools  referred  to;  another  portion,  however, 
is  used  for  political  purposes.    For  example,  in  the  recent 
election  of  the  Patriarch  of  Antioch  there  was  no  stmt  of 
Russian  money  to  secure  the  election  of  a  native  instead  of 
a  Greek.    In  fact,  Russia's  aim  is  to  combat  Greek  at  every 
point  in  the  Holy  Land. 

"Russia  is  sparing  no  expense  in  the  task  of  educating  the 
native  children;  thus,  the  leading  scholars  attending  the 
schools  for  natives  are  sent  to  Russia,  where  they  remam 
for  two  or  three  years  in  a  seminary ;  then,  as  a  rule,  a  Rus- 
sian wife  is  found  for  them,  and  they  return  to  Palestme  as 
teachers.  This  fact  explains  the  strong  Russian  leanmgs 
possessed  by  the  .\rabian  teachers;  and  thereby  Russia's 


235 


daily.    ThcgroNMh 


mlUicnce  in  Syria  and  Palestine  increases 
is  slow  and  almost  inipcraptible.  but  it  is  none  the  less  sure. 
"But  France  is  not  *:     only  nation  which  foresees  the 
gradual  destruction  of  its  interests  in  Palestine  by  Russia's 
u.itirinj;  activity,  for  the  latter  is  aimed  chiefly  at  the  Greek- 
church  authoriues  who  know  well  that  ihe  Russian  t.rcek 
church  is  waiting  only  for  the  right  moment  to  come  when  it 
can  lay  its  hands  upon  the  Greek  Sepulchre  and  monasteries 
in  Jerusalem.    At  present  the  Russians  have  no  share  m  the 
Church  of  the  Sepulchre;  but  T-.e  Palestine  So.:iety  is  under- 
mining the  influence  of  the  Greek  monastery      ■         view  to 
become  owners  of  the  Sanctuary,  which  is  at  present  in  tlie 
hands  of  the  Greeks.     The  Porte  offers  no  resistance  to 
Russia's  secret  plan  of  campaign,  and  owing  to  the  lack  ot 
adequate  support  by  the  Turkish  Government,  the  Greeks 
lost  the   Grecian   Patriarchate   in  Damascus,  and  thereby 
Russia  obtained  another  tool  of  great  service  in  furthering 
Russia's  desire  to  become  the  Protector  of  the  Orthodox 
church  in  Jerusalem  and  the  Holy  Land.     As  the  Greek 
monks  are  nearly  all  Turkish  subjects,  they  can  look  only 
to  the  Porte  for  protection  and  support,  for  they  have  no 
official  claim  upon  Greece.    The  Greek  church  in  Jerusalem 
is  quite  independent  and  sclf-governin-.  and  it  is  connected 
with  the  other  Orthodox  Greek  churches  only  by  the  bond 
of  dogma.     For  centuries  the  Greeks  living  hi  Moldavia. 
Wallachia,  ar.d  South  Russia  have  left  by  will  large  iracts  of 
land  to  the  Greek  monastry  in  Jerusalem.    Recently  Russia 
has  seized  all  the  land  thus  left  to  the  Greek  church,  and  it 
keeps  three-fifths  of  revenue,  or  about  £13,000.  while  only 


236 


!m 


two-fifths  are  sent  to  the  Greek  Patriarch  in  Jerusalem. 
Meanwhile,  the  stream  of  pilgrims  from  Russia  is  increasing 
steadily  under  favoring  auspices  of  the  Russian  Govern- 
ment, and  the  fanatical,  credulous  moujiks  carry  back  to 
Russia  wonderful  tales  of  the  work  that  is  being  done  by 
Russia  in  the  birthplace  of  Christianity.  Russia's  activity 
in  Palestine  has  not  attracted  a  great  deal  of  attention  so 
far  among  the  Powers  that  cannot  fail  to  be  affected  thereby 
sooner  or  later.  Still,  if  once  the  holy  places  fall  into  Rus- 
sia's hands,  then  the  consequences  will  be  grievous  alike  for 
the  Greeks  and  for  all  the  other  nations  who  are  interested 
in  'the  peace  of  Jerusalem.' 

"Viewed  from  a  political  standpoint  Russia's  ulterior  mo- 
tives speak  for  themselves.  Not  only  does  the  Holy  Land 
possess  a  seaboard  that  could  be  turned  to  excellent  advan- 
tage by  Russia,  but  the  old  highroad  leading  from  A^ia  Mi- 
nor into  Egypt  nms  down  through  Syria  across  the  battle- 
field of  the  Old  Worid;  moreover,  if  Russia  can  succeed  in 
getting  a  strong  fooiing  in  Syria,  then  she  will  have  out- 
flanked the  Bagdad  Railway,  which  threatens  to  stem  the 
stealthy  and  ceaseless  advance  of  Russian  'civilization.'  " 

In  connection  with  this  we  quote  from  A.  Burton's  "Rus- 
sia's Destiny" : 

"In  view  of  the  rapid  and  surprising  advance  of  Russia's 
influence,  both  in  the  West  and  East,  it  may  ce  of  interest 
to  our  readers  to  give  a  few  extracts  from  the  will  of  Pet?r 
the  Great,  who  died  in  1725  A.  D.  This  ambitious  tyrant 
had  formed  schemes  of  conquest  which  of  late  years  have 
been  assuming  shape  and  have  been  tending  towards  accom- 


I  ' 


237 
plishment.     We   copy    from   Russia,   in   Bohn's    Standard 

Library : 

"'(i)  The  Russian  nation  must  be  constantly  on  a  war 
footing,  to  keep  the  soldiers  warlike  and  in  good  condition. 
No  rest  must  be  allowed,  except  for  the  purpose  of  relieving  ^^'^t'l^^Xby"^ 

....         -u     r        -         Peter  the 

the  State  finances,  recruiting  the  army,  or  buhng  the  tavor-     (jreat. 
able  moment  for  attack.    By  these  means  peace  is  made  sub- 
servient to  war,  and  war  to  peace,  in  the  interest  of  the  ag- 
grandizement and  increasing  prosperity  of  Russia.     .     •     • 

•'  "(3)  No  opportunity  must  be  lost  of  taking  part  in  the 
affairs  and  disputes  of  Europe,  especially  in  those  of  Ger- 
many, which  from  its  vicinity  is  one  of  the  most  direct  in- 
terest to  us.    .    .    . 

'"(8)  We  must  keep  steadily  extending  our  frontiers- 
northward  along  the  Baltic,  and  southward  along  the  shores 

of  the  Black  Sea. 

'"(9)  We  must  progress  as  much  as  possible  in  the  direc- 
tion of  Constantinople  and   India.     He  who  can  get  pos- 
session of  these  places  is  the  real  ruler  of  the  world.     With 
this  view  we  must  provoke  constant  quarrels  at  one  time 
with  Turkey  and  at  another  with  Persia.    We  must  establish 
wharves  and  docks  in  the  Euxine,  and  by  degrees  make  our- 
selves masters  of  that  sea  as  well  as  of  the  Baltic,  which  is 
a  doubly  important  element  in  the  success  of  our  plan.    We 
must  hasten  the  downfall  of  Persia,  push  on  into  the  Persian 
Gu'f,  and,  if  possible,  re-establish  the  ancient  commercial 
intercourse  with  the  Levant  through  Syria,  and  force  our 
way  into  the  Indies,  which  are  the  storehouses  of  the  world. 
Once  there,  we  can  dispense  with  English  gold. 


238 

•"(lo)  Moreover,  we  must  teke  pains  to  establish  and 
maintain  an  intimate  union  with  Austria,  apparently  coun- 
tenancing her  schemes  for  future  aggrandizement  in  Ger- 
many, and  all  the  while  secretly  rousing  the  jealousy  of  the 
minor  States  against  her.  By  this  way  we  must  bring  it  to 
pass  that  one  or  the  other  party  shall  seek  aid  from  Russia, 
and  thus  we  shall  exercise  a  sort  of  protectorate  over  the 
country,  which  will  pave  the  way  for  future  supremacy. 

'"(II)  We  must  make  the  House  of  Austria  interested 
in  the  expulsion  of  the  Turks  from  Europe,  and  we  must 
neutralize  its  jealousy  at  the  capture  of  Constantinople, 
either  by  pre-occupying  it  with  a  war  with  the  old  European 
States  or  by  allowing  it  a  share  of  the  spoil,  which  we  can 
afterwards  resume  at  our  leisure. 

'"(12)  We  must  collect  round  our  house,  as  round  a 
centre,  all  the  detached  sections  of  Greeks  which  are  scat- 
tered abroad  in  Hungary,  Turkey,  and  South  Poland.  We 
must  make  them  look  to  us  for  support,  and  then,  by  estab- 
lishing beforehand  a  sort  of  ecclesiastical  supremacy,  we 
shall  pave  the  way  for  Universal  Sovereignty. 

'"(13)  When  Sweden  is  ours,  Persia  vanquished,  Po- 
land subjugated,  Turkey  conquered— when  our  armies  are 
united,  and  the  Euxine  and  Baltic  are  in  the  possession  of 
our  ships,  then  we  must  make  separate  and  secret  overtures, 
first  to  the  court  of  Versailles,  and  then  to  that  of  Vienna, 
to  share  with  them  the  dominion  of  the  world.  If  either  of 
them  accept  our  propositions,  which  is  certain  to  happen  if 
their  ambition  and  self-interest  are  properly  worked  upon, 
we  must  make  use  of  one  to  annihilate  the  other;  this  done, 


239 

^e  have  only  to  destroy  the  remaining  one  by  folding  a 
pretext  for  a  quarrel,  the  issue  of  which  cannot  be  doubtful 
as  Russia  will  then  be  already  in  absolute  possession  of  the 
East,  and  of  the  best  part  of  Europe.  ,  ,    .    ,, 

"'(14)   Should  the  improbable  case  happen  of  both  re- 
jecting the  propositions  of  Russia,  then  our  policy  wiU  be  to 
et  one  against  the  other,  and  make  them  tear  each  other  to 
pieces.    Russia  must  then  watch  for  and  seize  the  favorable 
Lment,  and  pour  her  already  assembled  hosts  mto  Ger- 
niany,  while  two  immense  fleets,  laden  with  Asiatic  hordes 
and  convoyed  by  the  armed  squadrons  of  the  Euxme  and  the 
Baltic  set  sail  simultaneously  from  the  Sea  .f  Azoff  and  the 
hal;  -  Archangel;  sweeping  along  the  Mediterranean 
and    '        .:  antic  they  will  overrun  France  on  the  one  side, 
whil    -      many  is  overpowered  on  the  other.    When  these 
coun.  ..  are  fully  conquered,  the  rest  of  Europe  must  fa^l 
easily  and  without  a  struggle  under  our  yoke.    Thus  Eu- 
rope can  and  must  be  subjugated.'  " 

This  is  the  aim  of  Russia.     Politicians  of  to-day  may 
smile,  yet  many  tremble  at  Russia's  -g^-""  J^' 
leon  I.  foresaw  what  many  are  wakmg  up  to  in  our  day 
and  gave  expression  to  his  thoughts,  while  a  captive  at  St. 
Helena,  in  the  tc'.ving  terms: 

"In  fte  course  of  a  few  years  Russia  will  have  ConsUn..- 
nople,  par.  of  Turkey,  and  all  Greece.  This  I  hold  to  be  as 
ceLn  as  if  i.  had  already  taken  place;  all  .he  capler,  and 
flattery  .ha.  Alexander  practiced  upon  me  was  .o  gam  my 
cons  J.  to  effect  that  ohjeC.  I  would  no.  g.ve  ,,  foreseemg 
.ha.  the  equilibrium  of  Europe  would  be  destroyed.    In  the 


240 

natural  course  of  things  Turkey  must  fall  to  Russia;  the 
Powers  it  would  injure,  and  who  would  oppose  it,  are  Eng- 
land, France,  Austria,  and  Prussia.  Now,  as  to  Austria, 
it  would  be  very  easy  to  secure  her  assistance  by  giving  her 
Servia  and  other  provinces  bordering  on  the  Austrian  do- 
minions, reaching  near  to  Constantinople.  The  only  hypothe- 
sis that  France  and  England  will  ever  be  allied  with  anything 
like  sincerity  will  be  to  prevent  this ;  but  even  this  alliance 
will  not  avail.  France,  England,  and  Prussia  united  can- 
not prevent  it.  Russia  and  A'lstria  can  at  any  time  effect 
it ;  once  mistress  of  Constantinople,  Russia  gets  all  the  com- 
merce of  the  Mediterranean,  becomes  a  great  naval  power, 
and  God  knows  what  may  happen.  The  object  of  my  in- 
vasion of  Russia  was  to  prevent  this,  by  t'  e  interposition 
between  her  and  Turkey  of  a  new  State  which  I  meant  to 
call  into  existence  as  a  barrier  to  her  eastern  encroach- 
ments." 

We  attach  no  importance  to  the  mere  opinions  of  men, 
however  great  they  may  be.  There  is  One  "who  worketh 
all  things  after  the  counsel  of  His  own  will."  Man,  though 
rebellious  in  heart  against  God,  is  but  the  tool  in  His  hands 
to  accomplish  His  purposes.  God's  purpose  is  "in  the  dis- 
pensation of  the  fulness  of  times"— that  dispensation  so 
near  at  hand  when  Christ  shall  reign  in  righteousness  and 
peace— it  is  His  purpose  "to  gather  together  in  one  all 
things  in  Christ,  both  which  are  in  heaven,  and  which  are  on 
earth;  even  in  Him"  (Eph.  i.g-12). 

Christ,  and  not  Russia,  is  to  have  "Universal  Sovereign- 
ty," and  Russia,  as  Ezekiel  xxxviii  puts  beyond  a  doubt, 


i  ^^ 


a4x 

together  with  the  pomp  of  rebellious  man  (see  Ezekiel 
xxxii),  will  "go  down  into  the  pit."  "Asshur  (t.  e.,  the 
Assyrian)  is  there,  and  all  her  company  ...  all  of  them 
slain,  fallen  by  the  sword,  which  caused  terror  in  the  land 
of  the  living"  (Ezekiel  xxxii  :22,  23). 


5# 


THE  MESSIANIC  a^JESTlON. 


Ill 


i^ 


The  Messianic  Question. 

By  C.  I.  SCOFIELD. 

ris  unnecessary  to  say  that  "Messiah"  and  "Christ"  are 
exactly  equivalent  terms;  that  they  mean,  in  themselves, 
no  more  than  anointed.  This  word,  though,  has  come  to  have 
a  special  application  to  that  personage  upon  whom  the  coun- 
sels of  God  as  unfolded  in  the  Scriptures  converge.  Really 
the  Messianic  question,  when  we  come  to  look  at  it  closely, 
resolves  itself  into  several  questions. 

First  of  all,  is  it  correct  to  say  that  there  is  any  Messianic 
question?  In  other  words,  do  the  Scriptures  contain  a  doc- 
trine of  the  Messiah?  There  are  some  persons  (not  by  any 
means  destitute  of  learning)  who  deny  that  rightly  under- 
stood, the  Old  Testament  contains  any  Messianic  doctrine. 
They  claim  that  it  has  been  altogether  read  into  these  Scrip- 
tures, first,  by  rabbis  of  olden  time,  the  scribes  and  rulers, 
and  then  taken  up,  amplified,  and  made  central  in  evangeli- 
cal theology  by  Christian  exegetes.  So  there  is,  as  you  see,  ^^^  ^^  ^  ^^ 
really  a  question  as  to  whether  there  is  a  Messianic  question.     8,»nic  qu..uo.. 

I  do  not  regard  this  contention  as  very  important  for 
the  reason,  if  for  no  other,  that  it  is  not  raised  by  any  con- 
siderable number  of  persons.  A  little  group  of  Jewish 
scholars  and  a  little  group  of  Gentile  scholars  very  "ad- 
vanced" as  they  call  themselves  do  raise  the  question,  but 
the  great  body  of  Jewish,  as  of  Christian  exegetes,  maintain 
that  there  is  a  doctrine  of  the  Messiah.     Of  course,  they 

245 


W»o  U  th* 


246 

disagree  on  the  one  point  of  the  identity  of  Messiah;  the 
Jews  denying  the  Messiahship  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  the 
Christian  exegetes  affirming  it. 

If  we  answer  this  question  in  the  affirmative,  and  say 
that  there  is  a  doctrine  of  the  Messiah,  we,  of  course,  come 
to  another  question:    Who  and  what  is  Mess'  .1  ?    In  other 
words,  what  marks  of  identity  are  attached  to  this  personage 
in  the  Scriptures  so  that  the  world  may  be  perfectly  sure 
it  is  not  deceived  by  an  impostor;  so  that  it  will  not  be 
open  to  any  one  not  the  Messiah,  to  maintain  a  claim  to  the 
character,  and  thus  falsely  secure  to  himself  the  rights  that 
properly  belong  to  the  true  Messiah. 

Of  course,  if  there  is  any  prophetic  testimony  concerning 
such  a  coming  one,  the  object  of  that  testimony  must  be 
two-fold:    First,  to  fumif.h  these  very  marks  of  identity  of 
which   I   speak;  and   secondly,  to  prepare  the  Jew.    and 
through  them  the  worid,  t     receive  this  personage  when 
he  should  come.    These  two  things  are  evident :    God  would 
not  send  into  the  worid  one  having  such  rights  as  we  shall 
find  to  belong  to  Messiah,  without  in  some  effiaent  way 
providing  for  his  authentication.    To  illustrate,  I  understand 
there  is  somewhere  a  young  man  who  claims  to  be,  not 
merely  the  Messiah  of  the  Old  Testament,  but  the  actual 
historic  Christ  of  the  New  Testament,  and  he  has  gathered 
a  number  of  deluded  people  who  believe  in  him,  and  upon 
whose  credulity  he  is  living.     Now  how  do  we  know  that 
he  is  an  impostor?     Because  he  does  not  answer  to  the 
prophetic  portrait  of  Messiah. 

We  come,  then,  to  our  second  question:    How  may  we 


247 

know  the  Messiah?    What  kind  of  person  will  he  be?    Of  ^^^^IZ% 
what  country  ?   Of  what  ancestry  ?    What  works  will  he  do? 
Thirdly,  we  come  to  the  question  of  fundamental  interest 
to  us,  as  Christians,  and  surely,  of  no  less  interest  to  the 
candid  Jew:    Was  Jesus  the  Messiah?    A  vast  number  of 
people    (and    no   inconsiderable    number   of   Jews)    have, 
through  all  the  ages,  believed,  with  the  Scriptures  in  their 
hii'ds.  that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah ;  and,  surely,  our  Jewish 
friends  who  do  not  so  receive  Him.  will  admit  that  it  is  a 
question  of  supreme  national  and  personal  import  to  them 
whether  he  be  indeed  that  personage. 

Now  it  is  evident  that  an  inquiry  as  to  the  second  of  these 
questions  will  indirectly  answer  the  first.    If  we  can  find  in 
Scripture  certain  marks  of  identity  put  upon  and  about  a 
certain  Coming  One.  that  answers  the  question  as  to  whether 
there  is  a  doctrine  of  the  Messiah.    We  shall  not.  of  course, 
find  the  prophetic  portrait  there  unless  there  is  coming  or 
already  come,  the  original   from  whom   the  portrait  was 
painted.    If  there  is  no  doctrine  of  the  Messiah  in  Scripture, 
we  shall  fail  to  find  the  portrait.    If.  on  the  other  hand,  we 
do  find  the  portrait,  then   we  must  say   that  there  is  a 
Messianic  doctrine,  whoever  the  Messiah  may  turn  out  to  be. 
It  is  also  evident  that  the  answer  to  the  second  question 
as  to  the  marks  of  identity  and  of  the  conditions  which 
must  be  fulfilled  by  the  Messiah  when  He  comes,  will  guide, 
and  must  guide  us.  in  the  answer  to  the  third  question: 
Is  Tesus  of  Nazareth  the  Messiah?    If  He  is  the  Messiah,  i.Je--ofN^ 
we" shall  know  Him  to  be  so  because  He  answers  exactly     <^^^ 
to  every  one  of  the  Scriptural  marks  of  identity  given  by 


Itii 


:), 


\\i 


A  Biblical 
quMtion. 


24S 

,hc  prophets.    That  ,nu,.  b.  .ho  «...     "   -  '""  °«  °|  ' 

hJ_:,  ,„a„v  ana  a.  mtau.c  as  *ey  an^we  find  .ta. 

«:  fan.  .hen  we  n,u«  sav  however  «rea,  ,he  a>s  m^ 
be  ,o  our  hearts  and  .ho„gh.s  and  opm.ons  ,ha.  he  ..  not 
^eMcssiah.    H.  .«.  ,h<.  other  hand,  he  fiUs  out  .n  every 

Mail  the  prophetic  picture  .f  Messiah,  u.thout  one  ex- 
rielail  inc  p    p  ,„  „,  ,^,,   bv    he  same  reasoning, 

ception.  then,  it  seems  to  me   hat,  d;    nc 

Ja  b>  the  same  logical  n«.«it>    «.■  are  faced  to  sa>  .ha. 

Testis  is  the  Messiah.  .       .     u^ 

^   ,     Tlti.  is  a  BibHcal  question;  it  is  not  a  quesfon  to  be 

.ettled  bv  appeal  to  theologians  or  rabbis.     For  ,t  ,s  r^r- 

\U   evidem  that  a   Jewish  scholar,   for  ms.ance.  mtgb 

marshal  as  tnanv  and  as  em^ent  authorittes  from  among 

■own  intellectual  and  thoughtful  people  a^ninst  the  Mes- 

hship  of  lesus.  as  a  Christian  could  bring  to  ,ts  support. 

;t  .'.uld-be  strnplv  a  clash  of  hu.nan  and  .--efore   a  ■  'e 

opinion,  ^^'^^^-i":;;::^'^:^,::^ 

of  hands.    We  mu-t  go  back  to  the  Old   lesta 

for  ourselves  what  .loctrin,-  of  Messiah  ,s  there  unfo.led.  and 

,nen  test  the  claims  of  T-sus  bv  that  doctnne. 

Like  all  other  parts  of  Go,.'    -ela.ton  we  sb.      nd 
,„  proce^d  frotn  the  simple  to  ti,e  compl«-fron^  uthne 
'il     I.  is  .he  divin,   metb  d  of  revelation  ..  b...u^  wttb 
ome  outline  truth,  and  then  .  ad.,an   .  with  stroeupo. 

..,okeof.hebrush,,o„ut,n.bcde,.a.....ntdv       ae    -H 
,„,„ess,    -Firs,  the  blade  .then  the,  ar    thenth    full 
i„  „„  „r"  is  .1.0  divine  rule.    We  d,„  no:  set  th     .A  . 
but  the  acorn,  and  aftcrwar.,  ,!,e  oak 

Just  so  it  .s  with  all  Scripture.    We    nai.  h.d  n  tr. 


n 


■B 


2^9 

this  Mes>ianic  doctri,.  .  U  will  be,  .,  w.tl  .  gen.-truth 
and  proceed  with  increasing  detail  fr  n  si,  .city  .  com- 
plexity,   l-et  mc  lurn  i.*  .w  to  (i  nesis  tu  -.14.  •  . : 

•'And  the  1  .  r.od  <>a-..l  tnto  thf  serpent,  -ecause  thou  ha  -lone 
thi.  thou  art  ursed  atev.  .U  cauU.  and  ahove  every  beast  of  the 
fiel.  «p.-  thy  bcily  s,.U  ,hou  .0.  and  dust  shalt  thou  eat  1  the  a«.H.  t^. 
a.vs'of  thv  life.  A.d  1  w.ll  put  enmity  between  thee  and  th.-  wo- 
nian,  and  bctwt-.r  thy  seed  .n.  her  seed;  it  shall  bruise  thy  ead 
:i,ul  thmi  -halt  bi    i'^e  his  li"l." 

Here  lie^  in  germ   ^11   redemptive  aiid  Messianic  tru    .. 
he  wr^nan'^  seed  is  to  mflict     pon  Sa  -n.  finally,  a  tat  1 
wound,  but   in  ^o  doing,  is  tn        Ter  does  not  tcH  tt. 

,Much.  arul  we   viU  not    .>ad  into   t  a  word  from    nbsc 
re  elation    but       doe.  .et   uh  loc^dng  for  a  desct  .dat.t 
that  V,  rnan   vhn  ^'  all  h.  victor"    ,s  over  Sata 

Pettis  turn  nt         .         esis  .ku  '-3: 

••Now  the  Lord  h.d  ^  -to  A»cam :   Get  thee      u     i  th>         ^^r, 

a,       from  thv  k.ndr.  '       id  rrom  *y  father's  he-  .se.  ai.fc>  a    ^ 
th.     ,   .v.ll  shew  thee.     \n..  I  w.ll  trn^e   .-  thee  a  grea    nat     - 
«       Mc.s  thee  and        >.ke   thy    nar      great;    and   t1  a 

1  .4.    And  I  w.  .  bk-  them  ths^   i.lcss  thee,  aiu'  u^-^t 

ei^thee;  and  i.    thee    -hall  ail  familie-  ■  f  *he  ear  ^sed. 

Now  let  US  not  treat  these  words  uniairly.  Tliey  are 
utminous  in  the  light  of  what  is  to  follow,  but,  certainly 
.re  not  m  themselves  a  oromise  that  of  e  descendants  of 
Abraham  there  should  :  .e  a  Messiah,  i  ^t  you  only 
to  notice  here  that  a  cssing  is  promised  to  this  man 
Abraham  tor  all  the  famtiies  of  the  earth.    That  is  all,  but 


Gen.  xU :  1-8. 


Qen.  XV :  1-4. 


Gmi.  ztU  :  19. 


250 

hold  that  much  firmly  in  mind.     I  will  read  now  from 
Genesis  xv:i-4. 

"After  these  things  the  word  of  the  Lord  came  unto  Abram  in  a 
vision,  saying,  Fear  not,  Abram;  I  am  thy  shield,  and  thy  exceeding 
great  reward.  And  Abram  said,  Lord  God,  what  wilt  thou  give  me, 
seeing  I  go  childless,  and  the  steward  of  my  house  is  this  Eliezer  of 
Damascus?  And  Abram  said,  Behold,  to  me  thou  hast  given  no 
seed ;  and,  lo,  one  born  in  my  hou?-  is  mine  heir.  And,  behold,  the 
word  of  the  Lord  came  unto  him,  saying,  This  shall  not  be  thine 
heir;  but  he  that  shall  come  forth  out  of  thine  own  bowels  shall  be 
thine  heir." 

Again  in  the  xviii  chapter,  i8th  verse : 

"Seeing  that  Abraham  shall  surely  become  a  great  and  mighty 
nation,  and  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  shall  be  blessed  in  him." 

Again,  be  sure  to  keep  within  the  limits  of  the  text.  This 
is  no  promise  of  a  personal  Messiah ;  so  far  we  have  only 
a  nation  in  which  all  nations  are  to  be  blessed.  Let  me, 
however,  anticipate  enough  to  say  that  I  am  going  to  con- 
nect by  an  indisputable  chain  of  evidence,  the  Messiah  with 

this  promise. 

Of  course,  I  am  assuming  that  the  Genesis  story  is  fa- 
miliar to  every  one  of  you.  You  know  that  Abram  had  a 
.  son  bom  in  his  house  named  Ishmael.  At  this  time  he  was 
the  only  son,  and  Abram  besought  God  to  fulfill  in  Ishmael 
the  promises  which  I  have  quoted,  and  this  is  God's  answer : 
"And  God  said,  Sarah  thy  wife  shall  bear  thee  a  son  indeed;  and 
thou  Shalt  call  his  name  Isaac:  and  I  will  establish  my  covenant 
with  him  for  an  everlasting  covenant,  and  with  his  seed  after  him" 
(Gen.  xvii:i9). 


251 

Here,  you  see,  the  principle  of  selection,  of  limitation, 
enters.    And,  of  course,  you  see  the  bearing  of  it  upon  the 
identification  of  Messiah.    Suppose  an  Ishmaelite  comes  to 
me  and  says :  "I  am  the  Messiah,"  I  am  ready  to  say,  "No, 
whoever  the  Messiah  may  be,  you  are  not  the  Messiah,  you 
are  a  descendant  of  Isb  t.ael,  and  not  of  Isaac.    The  Messiah 
must  come  through  Isaac."    In  this  way,  as  we  shall  see, 
God  narrows  the  possibilities  of  deception  until  they  are 
wholly  excluded.    Ishmael  and  all  his  descendants  are  ex- 
cluded.   The  Messiah  must  come  through  Isaac.     Let  us 
now  turn  to  Gen.  xxviii:i3,  14  • 

"And,  behold,  the  Lord  stood  above  it,  and  said,  I  am  the  Lord 
God  of  Abraham  thy  father,  and  the  God  of  Isaac;  the  land  whereon 
thou  liest,  to  thee  will  I  give  it,  and  to  thy  seed;  and  thy  seed  shall   ^^^  ^^^^ 
be  as  the  dust  of  the  earth,  and  thou  shalt  spread  abroad  to  the      ^^;J?^ 
west,  and  to  the  east,  and  to  the  north,  and  to  the  south;  and  in 
thee  and  in  thy  seed  shaU  all  the  families  of  the  earth  be  blessed." 

We  have  here,  as  you  know,  the  scene  at  Bethel,  where 
God  entered  into  covenant  with  Jacob,  the  son  of  Isaac. 
And  here  again  the  principle  of  exclusion  is  seen.  There 
had  been  another  son,  Esau,  remember  that;  and  that  the 
Abrahamic  promise  passes  over  Esau  to  Jacob.  No  de- 
scendant of  Esau  may  claim  the  Messianic  title. 

And  now  we  are  to  see  eleven  of  the  twelve  tribes  of 
Israel  excluded : 

"Judah,  thou  art  he  whom  thy  brethren  shall  praise;   thy  hand 
shall  be  in  the  neck  of  thine  enemies;  thy  father's  children  shall 
bow  down  before  thee.    Judah  is  a  lion's  whelp:  from  the  prey,  my   Gen. xllx : 8. 10. 
son,  tiiou  art  gone  up :  he  stoopeth  down,  he  couched  as  a  lion,  and 


Naabwrt 

uUl,  ZXiT. 


252 

as  an  old  lion;  who  shall  rouse  him  up?  The  sceptre  shall  not  de- 
part from  Judah,  nor  a  lawgiver  from  between  his  feet,  until  Shiloh 
come;  and  unto  him  shall  the  gathering  of  the  people  be"  (Gen. 
xlix:8-io). 

You  see  how  immensely  the  slender  line  of  promise  here 
gains  in  definiteness.  Out  of  twelve  tribes,  one  tribe  is 
chosen,  the  tribe  of  Judah.  From  henceforth  we  look  ex- 
pectantly to  Judah  only.  It  is  not  enough  that  the  claim- 
ant of  the  Messiahship  shall  be  an  Israelite  merely ;  he  must 
establish  a  Judaic  descent. 

Here,  for  the  first  time,  we  have  the  vvord  "sceptre"  in- 
dicating kingly  power.  We  also  have  the  word  "Shiloh." 
The  old  Rabbis  all  agree  that  this  is  the  description  of  Mes- 
siah as  the  Prince  of  Peace.  The  word  Shiloh  implies  that. 
Notice  another  significant  thing  here.  "To  him  shall  the 
gathering  of  the  people  be."  A  Messiah  mark.  The 
people  are  to  gather  to  him  as  a  center. 

In  Numbers  xxiii.,  xxiv.  we  have  the  successive  prophetic 
visions  of  Balaam.    I  will  read  but  one  of  them : 

"I  shall  see  him,  but  not  now:  I  shall  behold  him,  but  not  nigh: 
there  shall  come  a  star  out  of  Jacob,  and  a  Sceptre  shall  rise  out  of 
Israel,  and  shall  smite  the  corners  of  Moab,  and  destroy  all  the 
children  of  Sheth.  And  Edom  shall  be  a  possession,  Seir  also  shall 
be  a  possession  for  his  enemies;  and  Israel  shall  do  valiantly.  Out 
of  Jacob  s.iall  come  he  that  shall  have  dominion"  (Num.  xxiv :  17- 
19). 

Here  we  have  "sceptre"  again.  When  God  has  added  a 
detail  He  never  leaves  it  behind  any  more ;  it  is  always  car- 
ried on.    You  are  to  note,  too,  that  in  these  pj^ssaget,  we 


lii 


253 

get,  not  only  the  idea  of  dominion,  of  rule,  but  also  the  idea 
of  personality— '•!  shall  see  him,  but  not  now." 

Let  me  anticipate  an  objection  right  here.  Does  not  this 
mean  the  whole  people  of  Israel?  Does  not  the  Messianic 
doctrine  really  concern  a  people,  rather  than  a  person,  and 
is  it  not  true  that  the  promises  which  we  Christians  are  apt 
to  make  personal,  are  after  all,  rather  indefinite  ?  That  ques- 
tion is  raised  by  some.  But  notice  the  words:  "There 
shall  come  a  Star  out  of  Jacob,  and  a  Sceptre  shall  nse  out 
of  Israel."  And  to  this  we  may  add  another  statement  con- 
temporary with  it : 

"The  Lord  thy  God  will  raise  up  unto  thee  a  Prophet  from  the 
midst  of  thee,  of  thy  brethren  like  unto  me;  unto  him  ye  shaU   Deut. xtIH : «. 
hearken"   (Deuteronomy  xviii.iS)- 

This  passage,  from  the  lips  of  Moses,  adds  one  of  the 
official  titles  of  Messiah.  The  Sceptred  One  out  of  Israel  is 
to  be  a  Prophet  also. 

Now  we  come  to  another  limitation  of  the  promise.     It 
is  the  promise  made  to  David  concerning  Solomon: 

•'And  when  thy  days  be  fulfilled,  and  thou  shalt  sleep  with  thy 
fathers.  I  will  set  up  thy  seed  after  thee,  which  shall  P-eed  <>"t 
of  thy  bowels,  and  I  will  establish  his  kingdom.     He  shall  budd 
a  house  for  my  name,  and  I  will  establish  the  throne  of  h.s  king- 
dom for  ever.     I  will  be  his  father  and  he  shall  be  my  .on.    If  ue 
commit  iniquity,  1  will  chasten  him  with  the  rod  of  men.  and  with 
the  stripes  of  the  children  of  men;  but  my  mercy  shall  not  depart   «8«n.,«:iM.. 
away  from  him,  as  I  took  it  from  Saul,  whom  I  put  away  before 
thee      And  thine  house  and  thy  kingdom  shall  be  established  for 
ever  before  thee;  thy  throne  shall  be  established  for  ever"  (2  Sam. 
vii:l4,  16). 


iMtah  xl :  1, 8. 


Let  us  see  how  David  understood  this  covenant.     We 
have  his  last  words  in  the  xxiii  chapter  of  2  Samuel,  verses 

I  to  5: 

"Now  these  be  the  last  words  of  David.  David,  the  son  of  Jesse 
said,  and  the  man  who  was  raised  up  on  high,  the  anointed  of  the 
God  of  Jacob,  and  the  sweet  Psalmist  of  Israel  said :  The  Spirit 
of  the  Lord  spake  by  me  and  his  word  was  in  my  tongue.  The  God 
of  Israel  said,  the  Rock  of  Israel  spake  to  me:  He  that  ruleth  over 
men  m-st  be  just,  ruling  in  the  fear  of  God.  And  he  shall  be  as  the 
light  of  the  morning  when  the  sun  riseth,  even  a  morning  without 
clouds;  as  the  tender  grass  springing  out  of  the  earth  by  clear  shin- 
ing after  rain.  Although  my  house  be  not  so  with  God;  yet  he 
hath  made  with  me  an  everlasting  covenant,  ordered  in  all  things, 
and  sure." 

Here  are  the  last  words  of  David,  the  sweet  Psalmist  of 
Israel ;  his  life  stained  with  many  sins,  yet  a  man  who  loved 
God  supremely.  As  he  lay  there  dying,  his  last  thoughts 
turned  to  that  promise  which  God  made  concerning  his  seed. 
Let  us  see  now  how  the  prophets  interpreted  that  promise: 
•And  there  shall  come  forth  a  rod  out  of  the  stern  of  Jesse,  and 
a  Branch  shall  grow  out  of  his  roots ;  and  the  spirit  of  the  Lord 
shall  rest  upon  him;  the  spirit  of  wisdom  and  understanding;  the 
spirit  of  counsel  and  might ;  the  spirit  of  knowledge,  and  of  the  fear 
of  the  Lord"  (Isaiah  xi:i,  2). 

Well,  but  some  one  says,  this  might  have  referred  to  any 
descendant  of  David.  It  might  have  referred  to  the  line 
of  King  Josiah,  for  instance,  who  was  of  the  Davidic  line. 
Let  us  see.    I  will  read  the  tenth  verse : 

■And  in  that  day  there  shall  be  a  root  of  Jesse,  which  shall  stand 
for  an  ensign  of  the  people,  to  it  shall  the  Gentiles  seek,  and  his  rest 
shall  be  glorious." 


ill' 


35S 


A  day  which  has  not  yet 


"In  that  day."    What  day? 
dawned.    Hear  verse  two : 

"And  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  that  day  that  the  Lord  shall  set  his 
hand  again  the  second  time  to  recover  the  remnant  of  h.s  people, 
which  shall  be  left  from  Assyria,  and  from  Egypt,  and  from  Pathros. 
and  from  Gush,  and  from  Elam.  and  from  Shinar.  and  from 
Hamath.  and  from  the  islands  of  the  sea.  And  he  shall  set  up  an 
ensign  for  the  nations,  and  shall  assemble  the  outcasts  of  Israel, 
and  gather  together  the  dispersed  of  Judah  from  the  four  corners 
of  the  earth." 

When  Isaiah  wrote  these  words,  the  people  had  not  gone 

into  Assyria,  and  this  prophecy  has  never  been  fulfilled 

down  to  this  day. 

Let  us  now  turn  to  the  prophecy  of  Jeremiah.  Of  course, 
I  pass  over  chapter  after  chapter  in  Isaiah  which  might 
be  quoted.  I  want  you  to  notice  the  word  "Branch"  as  a 
mark  of  identification. 

■Behold  the  days  come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  1  will  raise  unto 
David  a  righteous  Branch,  and  a  King  shall  reign  and  prosper,  and 
shall  execute  judgment  and  justice  in  the  earth"  (Jeremiah  xxm:S). 
"For  thus  saith  the  Lord,  David  shall  never  want  a  man  to   sit 
upon  the  throne  of  the  house  of  Israel;  neither  shall  the  pnests 
the  Levites  want  a  man  before  me  to  offer  burnt  off«""f '/"'^ 
to  kindle  meat  offerings,  and  to  do  sacrifice  continually.     And  the 
word  of  the  Lord  came  unto  Jeremiah,  saying,  Thus  saith  the  Lord, 
If  ye  can  break  my  covenant  of  the  day  and  my  covenant  of  the 
night   and  that  there  should  not  be  day  and  night  in  their  season; 
then  may  also  my  covenam  be  broken  with  David,  my  servant,  that 
he  should  not  have  a  son  to   reign  upon  his  throne"    (Jeremiah 
xxxiii:i7-2i). 

Here  again  is  a  narrowing  of  the  whole  Messianic  out- 


J«r8.xxiU:17-Sl- 


256 


look.  We  began  with  a  promise  that  might  have  been  ful- 
filled in  any  man  bom  of  woman ;  it  was  narrowed  first  into 
the  man,  Abram ;  then  Ishmael  and  his  posterity  were  ex- 
cluded and  Isaac  chosen;  then  Esau  and  his  descendants 
were  excluded  and  Jacob  chosen;  then  out  of  the  twelve 
sons  of  Jacob  Judah  was  chosen,  and  now,  out  of  all  Judah, 
David  and  his  line.  Whoever  the  Messiah  is,  he  must  come 
from  the  kingly  house  of  David,  and  therefore  must  be  of 

Judah a  Jew.    Do  you  not  see  how  the  marks  of  identity 

are  accumulating?    It  would  not  do  even  for  a  Jew  to  say 
"I  am  the  Messiah,"  unless  he  could  establish  his  Davidic 

descent. 

II.  It  seems  to  me  that  we  are  getting  a  very  positive 
sort  of  Messianic  doctrine,  and  very  definite  sort  of  Mes- 
sianic doctrine  as  well. 

And  so  far  it  has  been  perfectly  simple  and  quite  within 
the  limits  of  the  natural.  But  now  we  come  to  something  in 
this  line  of  descent  which  is , miraculous.  Turn  back  with 
me  to  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah.  I  will  read  the  13th  and  14th 
verses  of  the  vii.  chapter. 

"And  he  said,  Hear  ye  now,  O  house  of  David;  Is  it  a  small 
thing  for  you  to  weary  men,  but  will  ye  weary  my  God  also? 
Therefore  the  Lord  Himself  shall  give  you  a  sign ;  Behold  a  vir- 
gin shall  conceive  and  bear  a  son,  and  shall  call  His  name  Im- 
manuel." 

You  know  the  meaning  of  that  word— "God  with  us."  I 
want  you  to  observe  that  these  words  are  addressed  to  the 
house  of  David.  You  know  we  speak  sometimes  of  this  or 
that  part  of  Scripture  as  difficult  to  understand.    Students 


857 

have    come    to    me    with    the    ix.    chapter    of    Romans 
to   say   that   they   could   not   understand   it;    and  people 
say  that  the  passage  I  have  just  read  is  a  difficult  passage. 
The  fact  is,  that  the  difficulty  is  not  in  understanding  it, 
but  in  believing  it.    It  is  all  plain  enough.    There  could  not 
be  a  simpler  statement  put  into  words.    God  promised  to 
give  the  house  of  David  a  sign  by  which  it  might  know  the 
long  promised  One  when  He  should  appear.    The  sign  would 
be  that,  in  that  house  and  family,  a  virgin  should  conceive 
and  bear  a  son;  therefore,  of  course,  supernaturally  and 
miraculously  conceived.    The  explanation  of  so  strange  an 
event  is  in  the  name— Immanuel.  ^^    ^  MewUh 

Remember,  I  am  reading  now  from  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah  ^^r^iA  tLu- 
—Jewish  scripture-and  not  from  the  New  Testament.    The 
immaculate  conception  and  Deity  of  Messiah  is,  therefore, 
an  Old  Testament  doctrine.    The  New  Testament  merely 

confirms  it. 

And  that  doctrine,  equally  with  all  others,  is  to  be  re- 
ceived by  faith.     Ck)d  makes  the  revelation  clear  enough; 
then  it  is  to  be  believed.    We  know  what  it  is-not  always 
/tow  it  is.    And  how  should  it  be  otherwise?    "My  thoughts 
are  not  vour  thoughts,  neither  are  my  ways  your  ways, 
saith  the'  Lord.     For  as  the  heavens  are  higher  than  the 
earth    so  are  my  ways  higher  than  your  ways,  and  my 
thoughts  than  your  thoughts."     And  that  is  an  absolutely 
necessary  corollary   to  the   postulate  of  a   God.     If  His 
thoughts  were  no  higher  than  my  thoughts,  He  would  be 
precisely  of  my  dimensions,  and  I  would  not  worship  Him. 
neither  would  I  give  any  heed  to  His  book. 


13 


i¥ 


258 


lMUhtz:0,7. 


Recapitulation. 


! 


I  will  now  turn  to  Isaiah  ix  :6,  7 : 

"For  unto  us  a  child  is  bom,  unto  vs  a  Son  is  given,  and  the 
government  shall  be  upon  His  shoulder;  and  His  name  shall  be 
called  Wonderful,  Counsellor,  the  mighty  God,  the  Everlasting 
Father,  the  Prince  of  Peace." 

This  is  the  same  Davidic  personage,  marked  by  his  pecu- 
liar kingly  right,  for  the  passage  proceeds : 

"Of  the  increase  of  His  government  and  peace  there  shall  be 
no  end,  upon  the  throne  of  David  and  upon  his  kingdom,  to 
order  it,  and  to  establish  it  with  judgment  and  with  justice,  from 
henceforth,  even  for  ever.  The  zeal  of  the  Lord  of  Hosts  will 
perform  this." 

Let  me  recapitulate  for  a  moment : 

( 1 )  Messiah  must  be  of  the  seed  of  Eve ;  that  is  to  say, 
he  must  be  human,  a  man.  An  angel  cannot  be  Messiah. 
One  of  the  Cherubim  or  Seraphim  cannot  be  Messiah. 
Whatsoever  else  Messiah  is,  he  is  human. 

(2)  He  must  be  the  seed  of  Abraham;  a  Hebrew,  not  a 
Gentile. 

(3)  He  must  be  of  the  line  of  Isaac  and  Jacob;  not  an 
Ishmaelite,  nor  an  Edomite. 

(4)  He  must  be  of  the  tribe  of  Judah— a  Jew. 

(5)  He  must  be  of  the  royal  family  of  David,  among 
the  families  of  Judah.  Even  in  Judah  only  David's  family 
can  produce  him. 

(6)  He  must  be  miraculously  born  of  a  virgin  mother. 

(7)  He  must  be  "Immanuel"~God  with  us;  the  mighty 
God,  the  everlasting  Father. 

But  how  can  the  mighty  God,  the  everlasting  Father,  be 
also  a  man  ? 


ilUi. 


259 

Where  do  these  ideas  ever  come  together  again?    In  one 

of  the  four  Ciospels  of  the  New  Testament.    There  we  find 

this  statement.    Understand  me,  I  do  not  say  an  explanation, 

but  a  statement.     God  is  not  greatly  concerned  to  explain 

Himself  to  us.    This  is  the  statement:    "In  the  beginning 

was  the  Word,  and  the  Word  was  with  God,  and  the  Word 

was  God.     And  the  Word  became  flesh  and  dwelt  among 

us"  (John  i:i,  14). 

And  I  submit  that  the  statement  is  adequate  and  satisfy- 
ing. If  the  mighty  God  chose  to  become  "flesh,"  and  to 
tabernacle  among  us  it  was,  most  evidently,  within  His 
power  to  do  it. 

III.  Is  there  nothing  in  addition  to  this ?  Nothinf',  for 
instance,  as  to  the  time  when  Messiah  should  appear;  It  is 
evident  that  the  time  of  the  birth  of  Messiah  is,  if  revealed, 
a  very  important  mark  of  identification.  I  think  if  we  look 
at  the  prophecy  of  Daniel,  we  shall  find  there  a  very  clear 
revelation  as  to  the  time  Messiah  should  appear.  Daniel 
ix:2i-23. 

"Yea,  whiles  I  was  speaking  in  prayer,  even  the  man  Gabriel, 
whom  T  had  seen  in  the  vision  at  the  beginning,  being  caused  to 
fly  swiftly,  touched  me  about  the  time  of  the  evening  oblation. 
And  he  informed  me,  and  talked  with  me,  and  said  O  Daniel,  I 
am  now  come  forth  to  give  thee  skill  and  understanding.  At  the 
bep inning  of  thy  supplications  the  commandment  came  forth,  and 
I  am  come  to  shew  thee;  for  thou  art  greatly  beloved;  there- 
fort  understand  the  matter  and  consider  the  vision.  Seventy  weeks 
are  determined  upon  thy  people,  and  upon  thy  holy  city,  to  finish 
the  transgression,  and  to  make  an  end  of  sins." 


Dan.  Ix:  31-83. 


w^mm.. 


9te 


i' 


No  sanctuary 
■iDce  70  A.  D 


Rcicmber  Israel  was  now  under  punishment  from  God- 
not  cast  off.  but  punished  by  captivity  for  national  sins. 

•And  to  make  reconciliation  for  iniquity,  and  to  bring  in  ever- 
lasiing  righteousness,  and  to  seal  up  the  vision  and  prophecy,  and 
to  anoint  the  Most  Holy." 

That  is.  to  finally  bring  in  the  time,  of  which  I  shall  speak 
when  the  subject  of  the  millennium  is  before  us,  when  a  re- 
stored Israel,  in  full  fellowship  with  the  God  of  their  fathers, 
shall  be  the  channel  of  His  blessings  to  the  earth. 

•Know  therefore,  and  understand,  that  from  the  going  forth 
of  the  commandment  to  restore  and  to  build  Jerusalem,  unto  the 
Messiah  tlie  Prince,  shall  be  seven  weeks  and  three  score  and  two 
weeks-  the  street  shall  be  built  again,  and  the  wall,  even  in  troublous 
times  And  after  three  score  and  two  weeks  shall  Messiah  be  cut 
off.  but  not  for  Himself;  and  the  people  of  the  prince  that  shall 
come  shall  destroy  the  city  and  the  sanctuary." 

Now  observe,  between  the  time  when  Daniel  was  seeing 
visions  and  the  prophesying  in  Babylon,  and  the  destruction 
of  Jerusalcr'  in  the  year  70  A.  D.,  the  whole  thing  is  limited. 
The  cominp  of  Messiah,  and  the  cutting  off  of  Messiah, 
must  take  p'ace  before  the  snv- eping  destruction  of  Jerusa- 
lem anc,  the  sanctuary.  Whatever  this  seventy  weeks  means, 
it  is  a  period  (except  the  last  week)  that  must  fall  between 
Darnel's  tin.e  and  the  year  A.  D.  70.  for  since  the  year  70, 
there  has  been  no  sanctuary  in  Jerusalem.  There  the  temple 
was  destroyed  in  that  year,  and  has  never  been   rebuilt. 
Here  then,  is  another  vastly  important  condition.    The  Mes- 
siah must  not  only  possess  the  unique  personality  which  we 


a«i 


have  been  considering,  but  He  must  appear  between  the 
time  when  Daniel  prophesied,  say  B.  C.  538,  and  the  time 
when  Jerusalem  was  d<*  troyed.  A.  D.  70.  So  much  for 
the  time-limit. 

And  now  we  come  to  another  condition  which  Messiah 
must  meet.  The  prophet  Micah  foretells  the  very  place  of 
his  nativity: 

But  thou,  Bethlehein-Ephratab.  though  thou  be  little  among  the 
thousands  of  Judah,  yet  out  of  thee  shall  he  come  forth  unto  me 
that  is  to  be  ruler  in  Israel ;  whose  goings  forth  have  been  from  of   Mic*h  » :  s. 
old.  from  everlasting  (Micah.  v:2). 

Here  we  have  the  Divine  again.  These  words  are  plain 
and  simple  enough.  Who  is  this  ruler  who  is  to  come  out 
of  Bethlehem  ?  Tt  is  He  whose  goings  forth  have  been  from 
everlasting. 

Bear  in  mind  now,  that,  to  the  seven  marks  of  identity 
in  our  recapitulation  of  a  few  minutes  ago.  we  must  now 
add  that  Messiah  must  appear  between  B.  C.  538,  and  A.  D. 
70,  and  that  He  must  have  Bethlehem-Ephratah  for  His 
birth  place.  So  far  all  is  clear. 

IV.  But  the  very  passage  from  Daniel  which  furnished 
us  with  the  time-limit  suggested  also  a  difficulty.  Up  to 
that  point  we  had  been  reading  about  a  sceptred  one,  a 
mighty  king  of  David's  line  who  was  also  the  mighty  God. 
But  Daniel  tells  us  distinctly  that  after  a  certain  time  "shall 
Messiah  be  cut  off." 

That  raises  a  difficulty.  What  is  tbis  about  a  Divine  King 
who  is  reigning  victoriously  over  everything,  being  cut  off, 
"but  not  for  himself  ?"    Now  this  difficuUy  is  not  to  be  ex' 


Zech.  Hi :  8. 


Ptalm  xxU. 


plaint.l  awav.  for  if  wc  turn  to  Isaiah  and  the  Psalm^    we 
^atl  find  a  great  deal  of   he  same  sort.    See,  for  example. 

Lsaiah  Hi :  1 3  • 

B.hot^  mv  servant  .hall  dca!  prudently.  1.^    ^1iall  be  exalted  and 

extolled,  and  be  very  nigh.     As  .nany  were  astonished  at  thee,  h., 

™,rr..,l  more  than  any  "lan.  an.l  hi^  form  more  than 
visage  wa*  *o  marred  more  huim  •>";' 

the  sons  of  men." 

But  is  it  Messiah  of  whom  Tsaiah  is  talking?    Compare 

Zechariah  iii  :8 : 

.•lU-H,  .-nv  ()  Joshua  the  high  priest,  thon  and  thy  fellrws  that 
sit  before  thee;  for  they  are  men  .vondered  at;  for  behold  I  w.U 
bring  forth  my  servant.  The  Branch. " 

What  do  wo  find  David's  son  called  .hroughottt  the 
prophets?  Tust  these  two  names,  "Branch"  and  "my  scr- 
V  nt  ••  Thi.  certainly  seems  mysterious;  hero  .s  Jehovah  s 
Servant  who  is  ^oing  to  be  extolled,  exalted  and  very  h:gh. 
and  ^vt  his  visaee  is  to  be  more  marred  than  any  man.  And 
the  diffictdty  apparently  ^ets  more  difficult  as  we  go  on.  To 
return  to  Isaiah,  read  the  liii.  chapter  i-Q- 

Ti,en  wc  have  tlie  xxii  Psalm,  which  most  commentators 
-Christian  and  some  Jewish-agree  is  Messianic,  with  its 
despairing  crv.  -'My  r.,d.  mv  God.  why  hast  thou  forsaken 
,re'"  and  its  tra-ic  burden  of  pierced  hands  and  feet.  Here 
we  have  then,  on  the  one  hand,  a  glorious  king,  in  Hmiself 
Deitv   so  that  Ho  has  all  power,  whose  very  tta.ne  is  Imman- 
„el_"God  with  us;"  vet.  on  the  other  hand,  with  His  vtsage 
,Ti^re  marred  than  any  man.  His  bones  out  of  jomt.  dying 
with  thirst    whilr  His  vesture  is  parted  and  lots  cast  for  it. 
flow  can  Messiah  be  a  might)  king,  and  yet  be  such  an  ah- 


wmmm, 


363 


ject  sufferei?    How  can  he  be  the  great  Davidic  monarch 
restoring  again  the  glory  of  Solomon's  liouse,  and  also  a 
sacrifice  bearing  the  sins  and  iniquities  of  Israel  and  all  the 
people?    Hew  can  it  Iw?    Gearly.  destinies  so  -^^trongly  con- 
trasted conlu  not  be  accomplished  sin-ultane<iiisly.    There  is 
only  one  rmswer  possible.     There  is  but  one  word  which  can 
link  the  gloriui,    reigning  with  the  suffering  and  the  d«;ath, 
and  that  w»  •-''  is  "resurrection."    Suppose  that,  in  the  divine 
purpoM    the     li^'hty  drama  is  to  be  in  two  acts?     Suppose 
the  sufft  ring  Messiah  and  the  glorious  Messiah  to  be  one, 
divided  by  (' -Hth,  reunited  by  resurrection?     Suppose  Mes- 
siah came,  and  was  "cut  oflF"  as  Daniel  predicted,  and  sup- 
pose that  His  life  came  again  ;  then  all  th.e  other  and  glorious 
side  of  the  picture  is  still  possible,  is  it  not?  If  He  di<l  not 
come  before  A.  T).  70  He  can  never  come,  and  the  prophets 
are  false  witnesses.    If  He  came  and  died,  and  went  into  the 
grave  and  rema  ned  there,  then  God  promised  Israel  and 
David  something  that  He  cannot  perform ;  but  if  He  came 
forth  out  of  the  grave,  the  earthly  glory  is  all  possible  yet. 

Well,  you  say,  but  is  not  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection 
a  New  Testament  doctrine-  Is  it  not  something  that  Chris- 
tians invented  to  bridge  this  very  difficulty,  and  make  it 
possible  to  reconcile  the  prediction  of  Messiah's  earthly 
greatness,  with  the  predictions  of  His  humiliation  and  death? 
No,  indeed;  resurrection  is  an  Old  Testament  doctrine,  as 
wt  shall  presently  see. 

As  matter  of  belief  you  Christians— the  great  mass  of 
you— practically  reject  the  voluminous  testimony  of  the 
prophets  concerning  the  earthly  glory  and  power  of  the  Mes- 


!?■ 


Pa.  rrli :  16. 


I 


3«4 

.Uh  "upon  the  th,on.  of  David"  (I».  ix7):  «Wk  you 
,e„_,re  great  mass  of  you-wUl  no.  recdve  fl.e  abundant 
^loly  o1  your  o«n  prophets  as  to  Messiah,  hum^at.^ 
„„d  death.    Against  both  of  you  there  «  leveM^Ae  re 
Broach  of  Jesus :    "O  fools,  and  slow  of  hear,  to  beheve  alt 
Che  pi>phe.s  have  spok«.."    The  truth  is  that  «sarrec. 
L:  I  the  bridge  f-  Messiah,  death  to  "^  f  ;^; 
and  that  the  Second  Advent  supplement  and  completes  the 

'tow  I  want  you  to  notice  with  me  Jus.  two  or  three  Old 
Testament  passages  u^n  the  question  of  resurrechon.  Take, 
foi  instance.  Job  xixas: 

-F.,  I  know  .hat  .ny  R«l=.n,"  «•«*•  »^  *"  "'  *'"  ""t 
„  r„uX  upon  ...  «r,..,  and  .ho„.h.  ...r  „  *„,  wo™.s 

destroy  thi,  body,  y«  in  my  Ae*  '".U  I  '~  <^- 

,0b  lived  before  the  law,  before  the  Pentateuch  was  writ- 
ten    Did  not  Job  believe  in  resurrection?    There  wa    h.s 
body  which  was  going  to  he  fc^  for  worms,  y«,  sa.d  he 
"^n  my  flesh  shall  I  see  God ;  whom  I  shall  see  for  myself, 
and  mine  eyes  shall  behold,  and  not  another." 

In  the  xvii.  Psalm  and  .5th  verse,  we  have  Davds  faith 
in  the  resurrection ;  .     •  1., 

•■As  for  me."  says  David,  "I  will  behold  thy  face  m  ngb  - 
cou.sness:    I  shall  be  satisfied  when  I  awake  wth  thy  hke- 

The  resurrection  is  not  a  new  doctrine;  .t  >s  as  old  «  J* 

and  was  David's  hope.    Now  le,  us  .urn  .0  the  xv.  Psa^m 

„d  see  a  promise  concerning  the  Messiah.    Many  of  .he 


265 

old  rabbis,  as  well  as  commentators,  interpret  the  x>  i.  Psalm 

of  Messiah.    I  will  read  the  eighth  verse:  *^*^=''- 

"I  have  set  the  Lord  always  before  me:  because  He  is  at  my 
right  hand  I  shall  not  be  moved.  Therefore  my  heart  is  glad  and 
my  glory  rejoiceth;  my  flesh  also  shall  rest  in  hope.  For  thou  wilt 
not  leave  my  soul  in  sheol;  neither  wilt  thou  suffer  thme  Holy 
One  to  see  corruption." 

Here  is  not  only  *he  doctrine  of  the  resurrection,  but  a 
definite  promise  that  Messiah  should  be  raised  from  the 

dead. 

In  Daniel  xii:2.  the  matter  becomes,  if  possible,  more  D«,.xtt:«. 

definite  still: 

"And  many  of  them  that  sleep  in  the  dust  of  the  earth  shall 
awake,  some  to  everlasting  life,  and  some  to  shame  and  everlastmg 
contempt." 

Daniel  went  to  the  grave  with  the  promise  that  he  should 
stand  in  his  lot  at  the  end  of  the  days.  Resurrection  then 
is  the  word  that  bridges  the  whole  difficulty,  which  recon- 
ciles the  apparent  contradiction  of  so  many  scriptures.  In 
other  words,  Messiah  comes;  Messiah  accomplishes  all  that 
is  predicted  of  Him  concerning  suffering,  humiliation  and 
death;  He  rises  from  the  grave,  and  comes  again  to  set  up 
the  kingdom,  and  to  complete  the  fulfillment  of  prophecy. 

V.  But,  it  may  vai.ly  be  asked,  is  not  this  doctrine  of  a 
second  advent  of  Messiah  to  restore  the  Davidic  monarchy 
and  make  good  the  multitudinous  unfulfilled  promises  to 
Israel  a  mere  invention  to  bolster  the  Messianic  claims  c« 
Jesus?  In  other  words,  is  it  clearly  taught  in  Scripture.^ 
Every  Jew   familiar   with   the   words  of  the   Prophets 


AcU  i :  6. 


a66 

is  aware  that  whatever  else  Messiah  does  He  must  restore 
Israel  or  leave  the  great  mass  of  prediction  concerning  Him 

unfulfilled. 

I  turn  to  the  first  chapter  of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  and 

begin  at  the  sixth  verse : 

"When  they,  therefore,  were  come  together,  they  asked  of  Him. 
saying,  Lord,  wilt  thou  at  this  time  restore  again  the  kingdom  to 
Israel?" 

Obsei  .e,  the  question  was  not  at  all  as  to  whether  He 
was  going  to  restore  the  kingdom  to  Israel,  but  simply  and 
only  as  to  when  He  would  do  it. 

Remember,  before  you  begin  to  say  "how  carnal,  how 
material,  how  unspiritual  are  these  men!    Will  they  never 
understand  Jesus,"  that,  indwelt  by  the  Holy  Spirit  (John 
<x  -22)  with  uv.derstandings  opened  to  understand  the  Scnp- 
tures  (Luk.  xxiv:45)  they  had  been  sitting  forty  days  at  the 
feet  of  the  risen  Lord  while  He  taught  them  concemmg 
kingdom  iruth   (Acts  i:3).     I  think  they  had    some  ad- 
vantages over  our  commentators  in  the  matter  of  prophetic 
study     Evidently  they  felt  their  understanding  of  kingdom 
truth  to  be  complete  except  at  one  point-the  time  of  the 
restoration.    Here  is  Jesus'  answer : 

"And  he  said  unto  them,  it  is  not  for  you  to  know  the  times 
or  the  seasons,  which  the  Father  hath  put  in  His  own  power  " 

Suppose  one  agent  after  another,  fully  authorized  to  speak 
for  me,  had  promised  in  my  behalf  that  at  some  time  I  would 
perform  a  certain  action,  and  that,  finally  interrogated  m 
person  as  to  the  time  when  I  would  oerform  that  action  I 
should  say:    "I  decline  to  speak  upon  that  point,"  would  it 


267 

not  be  a  monstrous  perversion  to  say  that  I  thereby  discred- 
ited my  agents,  and  that  my  words  must  be  understood  as 
announcing  that  I  intended  never  to  perform  the  ac 

In  the  fifteenth  chapter  of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  it  ts 
distinctly  stated  that  after  gathering  out  of  the  Gentiles  a 
people  for  His  name,  He  will  return.    Sixteenth  verse: 

"After  this  I  will  return,  and  wi.l  build  again  the  tabernacle 
of  David,  which  is  fallen  down;  and  I  will  build  -am J  e  -ns 
thereof,  and  I  will  set  it  up;  that  the  res.due  of  men  m.ght  eek 
after  the  Lord,  and  all  the  Gentiles,  upon  whom  My  name  u  died, 
saith  the  Lord,  who  doeth  all  these  things." 
Such  's  the  Messianic  doctrine. 
And  now  we  come  to  our  final  question.  Was  Jesus  that 

Messiah?  .  t^     •  1 

No  one  questions  that  Jesus  was  of  the  family  of  David. 
In  all  the  record  of  His  life,  where  He  was  brought  into 
sharpest  controversy  with  those  who  rejected  utterly  His 
Messianic  claims,  the  objection  never  was  made  that  He 
was  not  of  the  line  of  David.     No  one  ever  denied  that 
He  was  a  descendant  of  Abraham,  or  of  the  tribe  of  Judah.  Je-lV'* 
or  born  in  Bethlehem  of  Judea.    Don't  you  see  that  the  sure 
and  simple  way  to  settle  forever  the  claims  of  Jesus  to  be 
the  Messiah,  it  he  were  indeed  an  impostor,   was  m  the 
power  of  those  who  were  rigidly  examining  those  claims? 
A  disproof  of  his  Davidic  descent,  or  a  disproof  of  his 
birth  at  Bethlehem,  and  every  disciple  would  have  left  him 

at  once. 

Then  again:    Immediately-certainly  within  fifty  days- 
after  Jesus'    death   was   accomplished,   men   went  through 


TlM  proof. 


368 

Jerusalem  and  Judea  preaching  that  He  was  risen  from  the 
dead.  There,  again,  was  an  opportunity  to  end  His  cuU  by 
simply  disproving  the  fact.  Indeed,  it .  "ver  could  have  sur- 
vived the  disproof  of  even  one  of  the  eleven  points  of 
identification. 

At  the  present  time  no  man  can  either  establish  or  dis- 
prove a  claim  to  Davidic  ancestry.  For  that  reason  alone, 
Messiah  must  have  come  before  the  genealogical  registers 
were  destroyed.  In  Christ's  day  the  genealogical  registers 
were  open  to  all.  and  a  Jewish  man  could  prove  his  descent, 
but  at  present  he  cannot  do  so,  therefore,  the  Messiah  cannot 
appear  for  the  first  time  now.  Either  the  whole  Messianic 
prophecy  falls  to  the  ground,  or  the  Messiah  has  already 
appeared. 

The  historic  facts  concerning  Jesus  of  Nazareth  are  noto- 
rious, simple,  undisputed.  See  how  the  lines  of  proof,  of 
identity,  converge  upon  Jesus,  and  upon  no  one  else. 

1.  He  is  a  descendant  of  Eve — a  Man. 

2.  He  is  the  seed  of  Abraham,  nay  the  very  seed. 

3.  He  derives  His  Abrahamic  ancestry  through  Jacob, 
not  Esau;  Isaac,  not  Ishmael. 

4.  He  is  of  the  Tribe  of  Judah. 

5.  He  is  Davids  Son.  and  heir  of  the  Davidic  covenant. 

6.  He  was  miraculously  conceived  in  the  womb  of  a 
virgin. 

7.  He  proved  His  Deity  by  works  beyond  the  power  of 
man ;  by  superhuman  holiness ;  by  the  resurrection  from  the 
dead,  and  by  His  influence  upon  the  world. 


Ilil 


269 

8.  He  appeared  at  precisely  the  right  time  according  to 
Daniel's  prophecy. 

9.  He  was  born,  against  all  human  probability,  in  Betii- 

lehem-Ephratah. 

10.  He  fulfilled  the  prophecies  of  Isaiah  concerning  His 
vicarious  sacrifice. 

II  He  died  in  precisely  the  manner  foretold  in  Psalm 
xxii.  His  hands  and  feet  were  pierced,  and  His  executioners 
cast  lots  upon  His  raiment. 

It  is  evident,  (i)  that  no  one  could  bring  these  signs  upon 
himself;  (2)  that  they  are  too  numerous,  specific  and  minute 
to  leave  an  accidental  fulfillment  among  the  possibilities; 
(3)  that,  therefore,  the  being  in  whom  they  all  centre  is  the 
xMessiah;  and  (4)  that,  since  they  all  centre  upon  Jesus,  it 
follows  that  He  is  Messiah. 

And  now,  a  closing  word  to  you,  my  Jewish  readers. 
Some  of  you  are  looking  for  xMessiah.    Well,  He  is  commg. 
That  is  the  "blessed  hope"  of  Jew,  and  Christian.    Believe 
this   hold  it  fast,  whatever  betides.     But  I  implore  you  by 
everything  you  hold  dear,  believe  also  that  He  has  come. 
The  humiliation,  the  sacrificial  death  is  accomplished;  the 
glory  is  coii.ing.    Between  now  and  that  time  when  Messiah 
shall  come  in  glory,  how  unspeakably  solemn  and  important 
is  the  question  of  our  personal  relation  to  Him.    My  friends 
-Jew  and  Gentile  alike— "there  is  no  other  name  given 
under  heaven  whereby  we  must  be  saved."    The  thought  of 
a  sinner  ever  reaching  God's  presence  apart  from  sacrifice, 
is  foreign  to  the  whole  of  Scripture.    What  sacrifice  can  we 


A  penoual  word 


270 

offer?  The  temple  is  gone,  the  priesthood  is  gone,  is  there 
no  sacrifice  for  us?  Yes,  there  is;  there  is  the  sacrifice  of 
Messiah.  I  claim  it  and  need  no  other.  Having  believed 
in  that  sacrifice,  and  received  Him  as  the  Messiah,  the  son 
of  the  Blessed— 1  await,  in  perfect  peace,  the  time  when  He 
shall  gloriously  return  to  receive  me  to  Himself,  and  to  reign 
on  the  earth.  I  may  die  before  that  time  comes;  even  so  I 
shall  go  to  Him  by  virtue  of  that  sacrifice,  trusting  in  His 

shed  blood. 

How  is  it  with  you?  God  has  given  you  this  chain  of 
evidence,  has  affixed  to  that  one  person,  among  all  the  sons 
of  men  and  sons  of  God,  the  marks  of  Messiah,  will  you 
now  turn  away  from  Him?  Receive  Him  now.  "He  came 
unto  His  own,  and  His  own  received  Him  not,  but  as 
many  as  received  Him,  to  them  gave  He  power  to  become 
the  sons  of  God."  Will  you  not  say,  and  with  heartfelt 
conviction:  "Thou  art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living 
God." 


■pvPHpqp^papiP 


wp 


THREE  WEEKS  WITH  JOSEPH 
RABINOWITZ. 


m 


Three  Weeks  with  Joseph  Rabinowiti/ 

BY  A.  J.  Gordon,  D.  D. 

PERHAPS  there  is  no  man  hving  whom  the  writer  had  more  eani- 
^Uy  dldrS  to  meet  face  to  face  than  thi.  Israelite  of  he  New 
eatly  **«•"•"  \.  DelHzwsh  wrote  several  pamphlets  and 

Covenant.  P^^fT  JT^^^u  regarding  him  as  possibly  the 
documents  concerning  him.  *'»«°"y  "J",.  *  .^  of  Saul  of  Tar- 
n.o.tremarlcablejewi.hco«ver«o^^^^^^^^^ 

which  have  appeared  from  «««  to  time  m  pnnt.  ^^^ 

f^^na  tn  Chicaeo  for  a  montn  s  service  lu  i.^" 
Mr.  Mood,-.  World  .  ^'"Jf"'  *  „  ,  R„„ton  g«e.t, 

"r:ll°I  »f:o^   X'""     «'^°'  '"  ""  "'""f  t 

;;:^  "on:xv„dU.o.  H^ro.0^;...  ~  ;^-^-- 

owiU,  of  Russia ,  ana  mu.,  -,n-.ed  the  ocean  to  sec,  with 

"«»>»',';  rd^r.^  °  -  '^;*t^T;?or..now»i,  .„d  ^^n 

r>^^^,do™  £«^o.  o.  .^^  •'  - 

273 


274 

money  could  buy,  and  yet  th^  •butters  of  that  bouse  closed  and  cur- 
Uins  all  drawn,  so  that  I  was  in  the  dark,  and  knew  not  the  meaning 
of  my  own  learning  till  Jesus,  the  Light  of  the  World,  came  m  and 
illuminated  all  as  -n  a  flash." 

About  ten  years  ago,  Mr.  Rabinowiti  was  selected,  in  connection 
with  certain  coloniMtion  efforts,  to  goto  Palestine  to  secure  land  for 
Jewish  emigrants  who  desired  to  flee  from  Russian  persecution.  When 
fitting  himself  out  with  guide-books  for  his  contemplated  journey, 
he  was  given  a  copy  of  the  New  Testament  with  him,  as  furnish  ng 
»  admirable  directory  to  the  sacred  places  of  Jerusalem  and  the 
vicinity.     While  walking  about  Zion  and  gazing  upon  its  historic 
sites  he  carried  in  his  pocket  this  yet  unopened  treasure.     Going  one 
day  to  the  brow  of  the  Mount  of  Olives,  he  sat  down  on  that  sacred 
hill  and  began  contemplating  the  city  as  it  lay  at  his  feet.  Then  camea 
train  of  reflection  and  questioning  .  "Why  this  long  desolation  of  the 
City  of  David?  Why  this  scatterinK  of  my  people  t<>  the  ends  of  the 
earth '  Why  these  fresh  persecutions  breaking  forth  against  us  in  al- 
most   every  country  of    Europe?"     While    he  pondered  these  sad 
questions  he  gazed  toward  the  reputed  Ca'vrary.  where  that  holy  pro- 
phet  of  his  nation  had  been  crucified.     .\^  he  did  so  his  eyes  were 
opened  ;  he  looked  upon  Him  whom  his  nation  had  pierced.     In  a 
flash  the  truth  entered  his  heart :  "  We  have  rejected  our  Messiah  ! 
hence  our  long  casting  off  and  dispersion  by  Jehovah  !     He  believed  , 
he  cried  out  to  Jesus,  "  My  Lord  and  my  Go^"  and  almost  as  sud- 
denlyas  Saul  of  Tarsus.  Joseph  Rabinowitx.  from  being  a  Hebrew 
of  the  Hebrews,  has  become  an  Israelite  of  the  New  Covenant,  a  dis- 
ciple  of   lesus  of  Nazareth.     He  took  out  his  New  Testament    a 
K^;ide.book  in  a   sense  undreamed  of.  and  read  the  first  passage  that 
fell  under  his  eve  :  "  I  am  the  vine,  ye  aie  the  branches.     .     .     . 
Without  Me  ye  can  do  nothing."     "  I  saw  it  in  the  twinkling  of  an 
eve  "  said  he     "Our  Jewish  bankers,  with  their  millions  of  gold, 
can' do  notumg  for  us:  our  scholars  and  statesmen,  with  all  their 
wisdom  can  do  nothing  for  us;  our  colonization  societies,  with  all 
their  influence  and  capital,  can  do  nothing  for  us:  our  only  hope  is 
in  our  brother,  jesus.  whom  we  crucified,  and  whom  God  raised  up 
and  at  His  own  right  hand.     '  Without  Him  we  can  do  nothing. 

We  imagine  tUe  sensaiion  which  was  caused  in  Russia  when  this 
emigrant  Hebrew  returned  home  and  boldly  announced  far  and  wide. 
p;-.licly  in  the  synagogue  and  openly  in  the  columns  of  the  press,  his 
acceptance  of  Jesus  Christ  as  his  Saviour  and  Lord.  Persecution  and 
obloquy  were  poured  upon  him  from  every  quarter,  and  they  of  his 


«75 

joyfully  and  boldly  -mt-^  f  rJ  tW  o^e  .«t.r  .noth.r  of  hi. 
:r\Ur;tvOoJ°:i»  m  Lfe..in«  CbH..  .nd  pre^hing 
Him  to  their  neighbor.  .arpri.ingly  granted,  he  ha. 

By  pertntMion  of  th.  8°^«^°^  '  ^  J^  congregation  to  It.ten 
bnilt  a  .ynagogue  where  J«  ""J"^;^*^  ^/  ,bat  hi.  entire  time  i. 
to  the  Word  of  God  from  his  hp.  .  and  he     y     ^^^  ^^^  .^  ^^^^^^_ 

occupied  from  °»°™"»8  *°  ";f  ]:  T^^ed  in  mind  concerning  thi. 

ing  letter,  from  J«*«  "^°  ^J^.^^'^'*;.*^ 'f^^^^ 

greatquestion.  and  in  »««""«;3""n °«  What  wonder  that 

people"  summer  i.  nigh."  ^  j^  ^^^  Israelite  without  guile 

It  seemed  tons  "«  ^«  *«'^^';°,  '"  ^^j,  ^„i  in  prayer,  that  we 
day  after  day.  and  heard  ^-  J^^  .;;;,,^  ^.^^  .„dsuch  a'.sor»ing 
never  witnessed  such  ardor  f  «f;;*»«°  f  jj^^  ,U  sonn  forget  the  ra- 
devotion  to  His  person  and  «  "jy^^^";" ^^  „pounaed  the  Messianic 

diance  that  would  come  ^^^'^^X^^o^s^^P'  -«^  »^«-'  *« ''"'  ''f 
Psalms  at  our  morning  ^"^  ^^^"^XrinK  of  the  glorified  Christ,  he 
there  he  caught  a  glimpse  «^  ^^^J^^^J^^^   ,  ^,  Javen.  in  a  burst  of 

would  suddenly  lift  Ins  ^-"^Vj^^^^Xr  he  had  seen  the  nail- 
admiration,   exclaiming  w.thjhomas.  ^ter^^^  .^  ^^  ^.^  ^^^  ,^^^„ 

prints.  -My  ^^^^Vuhe  Hebrew  Screes  that,  to  hear  him  Ulk  one 

':^t^'!^^^^^  -'^  other  prophet  of  the  old  dis- 

pensation  that  was  ^P''^^'''^- ..^^■,^^  ?•■  we  asked  him.  in  or.ler  to 

..What  is  your  view  «^  »"'Pj.'^'°",,^^^^^  "My  view 

draw  him  out  on  certain  '";^.'^^„^^;;^2"bt    •  that  this  is  the  Word  of 

is...  he  said,  holding  up  his  Hebre^.  Bible  ^^^^  ^^ 

God  ;  the  Spirit  of  God  dweUs  -  •  JJ  ^  ^  '^^^  people.  'Be  silent 
is  speaking  to  me;  and  when  1  V^^^^^''^ ffj  .,  ^,  j„,  comparing  the 
and'hear  what  Jehovah  will  say  to  ^ou^  ^^  ^^^^^^^,,,.  ,,  eon- 
inspiration  of  Scripture  with  that  otH  Electricity  will  pass 

tinned,  "it  is  not  a  question  -1^^^''^^"^^°;^^^  .  .^d  of  glass,  however 
through  an  iron  bar.  but  it  will  not ««  ^^/^"^  j„, ,,_  go  the  Spirit 

beautiful  and  "anspar^nt  l^cause  i  has  no  7  ^^^^  ^^^^^^  ^^^^^ 


1.0 


I.I 


■ttlZB      12^ 

II  1.8 


MICROCOPY  RESOLUTION  TEST  CHART 

NATIONAL  BUREAU  OF  STANDARDS 

STANDARD  REFERENCE  MATERIAL  1010a 

(ANSI  and  ISO  TEST  CHART  No.  2) 


37^ 

He  hMno  affinity  with  these  writings."  This  sentence  gives  an  in- 
stance of  his  vividness  of  Ulustration.of  which  he  is  a  natural  master. 
Some  of  Mr,  Rabinowitz's  expositions  and  explanations  of 
Scripture  were  exceedingly  interesting.  "  Show  me  a  photograph 
of  Kischineff,"  he  said  one  day,  "  and  I  can  tell  instantly  whether  it 
is  correct,  for  I  have  lived  there  all  my  life.  So  when  I  read  the 
New  Testament,  how  vivid  are  its  pictures  to  one  who  has  lived  for 
years  in  Jewish  history  and  traditions!"  Opening  to  Revelation 
xvi.,  he  read,  "  Behold,  I  come  as  a  thief.  Blessed  is  he  that  watch- 
eth  and  Iteepeth  his  garments,  lest  he  walk  naked  and  they  see  his 
shame."  This  admonition  of  the  Lord  affected  me  very  deeply 
when  I  first  read  it,"  he  said.  "  for  I  knew  at  a  glance  its  meaning. 
All  night  long  the  watchmen  in  the  temple  kept  on  duty.  The  over- 
seer of  the  temple  was  always  likely  to  appear  at  unexpected  hours 
to  see  if  these  were  faithfully  attending  to  their  charges.  If  he 
came  upon  any  watchman  who  had  fallen  asleep,  he  quietly  drew 
his  loose  garments  from  him  and  bore  them  away  as  a  witness 
egainat  him  when  he  should  wake.  My  Lord  is  liable  to  come  at 
any  moment.  He  may  come  in  the  second  'vatch  or  in  the  third 
watch,  therefore  I  must  be  always  ready,  lest  coming  suddenly,  he 
find  me  sleeping,  and  I  be  stripped  of  my  garment." 

"Do  you  know  wlmt  questioning  and  controversies  the  Jews  have 
kept  up  over  Zech.  xii :  lo?  "  he  asked  one  day.  "  'They  shall  look 
upon  Me  whom  they  have  pierced.'  They  will  not  admit  that  it  is 
Jehovah  whom  they  have  pierced.  Hence  the  dispute  about  the 
whom.  But  do  you  notice  that  this  word  is  simply  the  first  and  last 
letters  of  the  Hebrew  Alphabet,  Alev  Tav?  Do  you  wonder  then, 
that  I  was  filled  with  awe  and  astonishment  when  I  opened  to  Rev. 
i :  7,  8,  and  read  these  words  of  Zechariah,  now  quoted  by  John, 
'  Behold.  He  cometh  with  clouds ;  and  every  eye  shall  see  Him.  and 
they  also  that  pierced  Him  ;'  and  then  heard  the  glorified  Lord  say 
ing,  '  I  am  the  ALPHA  AND  OMEGA ! '  Jesus  seemed  to  say  to  me, 
'  Do  you  doubt  who  it  is  whom  you  pierced  ?  I  am  the  Aleph  and 
Tav,  the  Alpha  and  Omega,  Jehovah  the  Almighty. '  " 

Rabinowitz  is  as  clear  as  is  Paul  in  the  eleventh  of  Romans  as  to 
the  divine  order  and  plan  for  bringing  the  nations  to  God.  After 
the  present  Gentile  election  and  outgathering,  he  holds  that  the 
Jews  are  to  be  converted  and  restored  to  God's  favor  in  connection 
with  the  second  advent  of  our  Lord,  and  that  then  will  follow  world- 
wide salvation  and  the  universal  ingathering  of  the  Gentiles.  He  is 
very  positive,  therefore,  as  to  the  meaning  of  the  passage  in  the 


277 


fifteenth  of  Acts.  "  Simeon  hath  declared  how  God  at  the  first  did 
viritthe  Gentiles,  to  take  out  of  them  a  people  for  His  name." 
"That  is  what  is  going  on  now,"  he  says.  "  During  Israel's  re- 
jection the  elect  church  is  being  gathered."  "  After  this  I  will  re- 
tnrn  and  build  again  the  tabernacle  of  David  that  is  fallen  down,* * 
etc.  "This  is  very  plainly  tne  conversion  and  restoration  of  Israel," 
he  says.  And  when  I  urged  that  many  spiritualize  the  words  and 
apply  them  to  the  Christian  Church,  he  replied,  "  It  will  not  be  easy 
to  make  a  Jew  believe  that,  when  the  words  in  Amos,  which  are  here 
quoted,  plainly  refer  to  the  restoration  of  Israel ;  and  especially  since 
the  Jews  have  been  praying  this  pra}  cr  from  time  immemorial,  al- 
ways repeating  it  at  the  yearly  Feast  of  Tabernacles :  'O  Thou  Re- 
deemer, prosper  those  who  seek  Thee  at  all  times ;  raise  up  the  tab- 
ernacle of  David  that  is  fallen,  that  it  may  no  longer  be  degraded.'  " 
"After  the  tabernacle  of  David  sha'l  be  rebuilt,  and  national 
Israel  saved,"  hecontinues,  "then,  and  then  only,  will  come  the  times 
of  refreshing  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  in  which  all  nations  will 
be  brought  into  obedience  and  subjection  to  Christ."  Such  is  his 
strong  conviction,  and  the  reader  may  find  that  he  agrees  with  Peter 
in  Acts  iii :  19,  20,  and  with  Paul  in  Rom.  xi. 

Indeed,  this  Hebrew  prophet  is  proclaiming  most  solemnly  the 
impending  advent  of  our  Lord.  He  contends  that  without  a  clear 
proclamation  of  the  second  advent.  Christians  have  no  common 
ground  on  which  to  meet  the  Jews ;  that  to  spiritualize  this  doctrine, 
as  many  do,  is  fatal,  since  the  predictions  are  so  clear  of  a  glorious 
and  conquering  Messiah  as  well  as  a  suffering  Messiah.  If  you 
spiritualize  the  second  advent,  you  must  allow  the  Jew  to  spiritual- 
ize the  first,  as  he  is  always  ready  to  do,  and  yea  have  no  basis  on 
which  to  reason  with  him.  Nothing  coAd  be  more  thrilling  and 
pathetic  than  to  hear  this  latter-day  prophet  of  Israel  dilate  on  the 
blessedness  and  glory  of  his  nation  when  it  shall  at  last  be  brought 
back  into  favor  and  fellowship  with  God.  'The  Gentile  nations 
cannot  come  to  their  highest  blessing  till  then,"  he  says,  "  nor  can 
our  rejected  and  crucified  Messiah  see  the  travail  of  His  soul  and  be 
satisfied  until  His  kinsmen  according  to  the  flesh  shall  own  and 
accept  Him."  Then,  with  dramatic  fervor  and  pathos  impossible 
to  describe,  he  said  the  following  beautiful  thing  :  "  Jesus,  the  glori- 
fied  Head  of  the  Church,  is  making  up  His  body  now,  my  brother. 
Think  yon  that  my  nation  will  have  no  place  in  that  body  ?  Yes,  the 
last  and  most  sacred  place.  When  from  India's  and  China's  mil- 
lions, and  from  the  innumerable  multitudes  of  Africa  and  the  islands 


378 

«♦  *!,.  M^  the  last  Gentile  shall  have  been  brought  in.  and  HU  body 

rloMd  till  the  nation  that  made  it  is  saved.  „„«*«! 

M«yotber  saying,  of  this  remarkable  man  ^"J^*  ^  J^^«  f^ 

'         ^    •       -4.  *\,mm      We  declares  "■ost  confidently  tnat  tne 

«i-,v    the  hearts  of  the  manners  fail  them ,  tney  cry  oui,    ^^^    . 
Jr  Je  ^.S^  3at  the  hour  is  coming  when  He  who  long  ago  rose 
L  tte^tS  ship  on  the  Sea  of  Galilee  shall  rise  in  the  midst  of 
Se«    He  sU  rebuke  the  winds  and  the  waves-it  will  become  per- 
^tTy'sfilL^d  -me -hall  sink  down  before  His  ff-ith  ^he  cry  of 
S^  'My  Lord  and  ay  God ! '  and  immediately  Israel  w  11  l^m 
i    Wen  of  rest  which  remaineth  for  the  chosen  people  of  God. 
*'^  7wo  Jl  not\:  P-ible  to  put  on  paper  ^^^o^f^J^rn^^:^ 
dramatic  exposition  of  Christ's  farewell  to  the  temple :     Behold,  your 


279 

cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord."  So  shall  Israel  do  when  the 
spirit  of  grace  and  of  supplication  has  been  poured  upon  them  ;  and 
they  shall  see  Him  whom  they  pierced  coming  to  them.  As 
they  once  cried,  " Crucify  Him!  crucify  Him!"  now  the  cry, 
"  Blessed  is  He  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord ! " 

So  when,  on  parting,  I  asked  for  his  autograph,  he  wrote  this  in 
Hebrew  as  his  farewell  word  :  "  Blessed  is  He  that  cometh  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord." 


K><!\ 


INDEX  TO  SCRIPTURE  PASSAGES. 


PAGE. 

Genesis  xz  xvii :  7 *°9 

ExodrsiiiiiS 5^ 

iv:aa —  '3 

XV >48 

Lcviticas  xxUi :  15-17  •  •  •  34 

Nambers    x  :  35 9^ 

XV  :  19-21 54 

xxiv.  7 150,  17a 

Deuteronomy  xxvii :  15  .  108 

xxix  :  4-  •  •  32 

XXX  :  3. . .  91 
xxxli :   22, 

43 37.i",ii3 

Judges  ix  :  7-15 "5 

1  Kings  xix  :2 ^i 

Psalms         i 89 

ii:i-3 96 

xii :  13 89 

xiv:  7 78 

XX  :  22 89 

xlii:6 93 

xlii  •.7 94 

xliv:9-i6 95 

xlv-xlviii 96-97 

Ixviii 98-101 

Ixix 34-35 

Ixix  :  21 86 

Ixxii 89 

Ixxiii 89 

Ixxix 102-104 

Ixxx 105-106 

Ixxxix 90 

xc 90 

xci 91 

xciv-c 107-ioS 


PAGW. 

Psalms  cxviii 7' 

cxxx. 151 

cxxxrii 181 

Isaiah    vii :  14 ^4* 

xi 142-171 

xii I" 

xiii Ill 

XXV -.9 109 

xxix 32 

xliv  :  23 Ill 

liii 77 

lv:i2 Ill 

Ix 171 

Ixiv  :  1 76 

Ixv 10,  109 

Ixvi:  15-16 112 

Jeremiah   xi :  16 56 

xxxi:  34 149 

xlix  :  16  56 

Ezekiel     xx  :  38 72 

xxiv:  24 112 

xxviii:  1-17 '7' 

xxix 105,  109 

xxxvii :  12 48 

xxxix  :  29  78 

xliv  :  1-3  112 

xlvi Ill 

Daniel     ii 67 

vii:  13.  28 77.  '71 

ix:37 201 

xl :  1 184 

xii:  31 2<n 

Rosea  i :  16,  ii :  33 39 

Joel   ii:i7.  28 93.  77 

iii:i,  3 74 


I 


PAOB. 

Amoiiv:? *^5 

Ob«di«hi8 '7a 

Jonah  ii 94 

Micab  ii :  13  *73'  ^^4 

vii :  10 93 

vli :  18-20 "7 

Habakkukiii 76,  »" 

Zechariah  i :  20-21 ^87 

ii 46,  79 

iii „  77 

xii:  10-14 10,7b 

xiii:8-9 72 

xiv:4 77 

xiv w>  ^°' 

Malachi  iii ^59 

Matthew     v  :  25 »o4 

xii:38 48 

xiii:ii 63 

xix:  10,  II 159 

xxi 7J.55 

xxiii 69-70 

xxi? 28.56.72,71,75 

XXV  -.31 40 

AcU      i:6.  7 ^ 

iii :  20 98 

ix:22 »6 


F*0>. 

AcU   xv:  14 43 

xvii  -.31 '♦S 

xxi:  21 '5 

Romanai-viii 8.9 

V  :  10 43 

viii 80 

ix »5 

X 39 

xi:  8..  36,50.63.66, 1 14 

I  Corinthians  x  :  4  *°4 

xv:2 *7 

XV :  51 ^ 

Coloc-ians  i 64,  109 

Philippiani  iii :  5 "7 

1  Theisaloniani  iv 64 

2  Theaaalonians  ii.  .64,142.143.^71 

1  Timothy  i :  16 »6 

iii:  16 64 

iv:i »64 

2  Timothy  iii :  1-17 ^64 

Revelation    i :  7  ^^»  76 

ii:26 85 

iv,  v 68 

vii 28.29,68 

xii 73.103.108 


ittr 


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